


A glitch in the barn

by silverxcristal



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Fnaf vr, M/M, Phone Sex, Romance, Slow Build, the explicit warning is for one chapter in specific, the whole story is vanilla
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:22:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28362375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverxcristal/pseuds/silverxcristal
Summary: Everything was written to become a tragedy.But as realities mixed, a new possibility has opened.
Relationships: Dreadbear/Glitchtrap (Five Nights at Freddy's), Dreadbear/Malhare
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26
Collections: Remnant Delivery AU





	1. Program installed

**Author's Note:**

> Part of an Alternative Universe inspired by the world of FNaF, named "Remnant Delivery AU"
> 
> Characters are potrayed as Gijinkas (moe antropomorfism) using the designs made by @silverxcristal.
> 
> They look more humanoid, but theyre still animatronics.
> 
> Glitchtrap's design and personality was made by @octyfish. He is more humanoid than the other characters because he is from another reality. He is not William Afton in any shape or form, he is his own being.
> 
> More info on Collection

Virtual reality games go from 0 to 100 really quick, most of the time you were aware that only your eyes were inside the game and allowed you to check everything in detail, but your body was still on your chair. But sometimes you got so into it that you felt real danger inside the game, especially in a scary game like “Help Wanted”; a VR game created with the only purpose to mock actual tragedies and misfortunate events with the purpose to make people believe that it was nothing more than a game, that it never happened.

Help Wanted was still in development, it changed from company developers and even had to be coded over and over again as the gameplay shift from too hard to boring.

Today’s beta tester explored the main hub area, tried the first levels and then took off his VR set, closing the game before open it again to check the code.

A weird, glitch figure of what looked like a rabbit huffed as the game was closed, the lights turn off on the hub area. Another player failed to free him.

Said figure named himself “Glitchtrap”, or that’s the name he heard the developers call him after a encounter. Help Wanted had a very strict deadline to be released way before the company even decided what they wanted the game to be about. A way to speed things up was getting old items and pieces from the Fazbear Franchise, scanning as much as they could to reuse the old animatronics code.

In that rush something happened; a file glitched during one of the scans and make this “Glitchtrap” creature appear on the game; it was a yellow rabbit suit moving around stage after stage as he observed the developers work on the game. It was annoying.

They tried to ignore him, but the more time it pass the more “conscious” and “powerfull” this malware seem to become, even playing a few pranks and messing with the code of the digital animatronics. The developers had no time for this, they had to get rid of this potential virus but they knew it would take time to find their code and get rid of it properly, the old company tried before and failed miserably.

They recurred to a plan B: they broke him into pieces that scattered all over the game, that way it wasn’t visible or physical, it couldn’t mess with anything else anymore… but was still present. They would have to deal with it eventually, but right now they needed to keep polishing the game.

Glitchtrap didn’t expected to be pulled apart, but he was smart and manage to transform all his missing pieces into glitch tapes, visible enough to be part of the game; if they were collected and bring back together, he would be whole again. He just needed somebody to collect them, a beta tester that would get curious enough to check the glitch bits of his body scattered around the game.

However, most players followed the game warnings and didn’t delve into hidden areas, some didn’t even notice the tapes or if they spotted them they didn’t think about pick them up. The very few who attempted to collect the tapes were usually quickly cut off by the game devs and replaced by another beta tester.

None of Glitchtrap’s hinting, teasing or showing players he was there made them want to keep looking. The few ones who noticed the glitch edges of his body on the main hub area though he was the antagonist for the final game and wasn’t finished yet.

At this point Glitchtrap was frustrated; the game keep being worked on and he haven’t made any progress to get back together. Even if he did… what would happen next? He was going to be deleted as soon the developers finished their game, it didn’t matter if he was whole again, eventually he was going to disappear, they would make him disappear.

He needed to get out, out of the game. But first he needed to be put back together; he couldn’t leave the game and stay safe if bits of him were still part of it.

There had to be another way to make this work, the company was very careful about who they gave the beta test to. And while it was commendable from a business standpoint, it was hell for Glitchtrap.

The amount of people he was being expose to currently were too few for him to even have a chance to escape at this point, and last time he tried to check how many pieces he was broken into he count 16. 16 tapes scattered all over this unfinished VR game.

Glitchtrap was walking in circles on the main hub hallway, he could barely feel his body step after step, it didn’t felt like his body belong to him. Suddenly he stopped… what if instead of wait for a beta tester that would do what he wanted, he would get one himself?

It wasn’t impossible. Glitchtrap did had the ability to travel from any electronic that could run the game; computers, tablets, even some phones were not safe from his malware. He had left his game and travel around the company devices, just to realize even if he was far away, his code was still stuck into the game. He had never attempted to bring the game itself with him, and carry the entirety of the game code with him may prove to be a challenge… but Glitchtrap found he liked challenges.

It took a few weeks to figure out, but Glitchtrap found a way to make a portable version of the game, small enough to carry with him, but retain all the data the game would need to run. It was a copy, his body was still tied to the original game, but he could still be whole if he got his pieces from the portable version.

Jumping from the computer to the electricity cables, Glitchtrap move around the building closer to the game company to pop up and install his game. After a few failed attempts with the game crashing or just refusing to open at all, Glitch found someone who manage to successfully open the game. However the game didn’t caught his attention, they didn’t even bother to play past the first night. Frustrated, Glitchtrap wiped the game from the computer and left.

He needed to find someone gullible enough to play the game by his rules, to step off from the game guide and collect the tapes that contain his shattered code. He just had to keep looking.

\---------------------

One day Glitchtrap decided to push his search ratio further, attempt traveling further than he ever had. He prepared himself and make sure the portable version of the game was still functional before he shoved it in a little cube of data that he placed on his vest pocket.

Taking a breath, Glitchtrap stepped over the small outlet on his hallway, he broke himself down into pure data and energy and jumped outside the computer, following the wires he soon exited from the office and headed towards the large network that would take him anywhere he needed to go. He headed far out, out past the city. He was on the country side following a power line, as long he was there he would be fine.

Eventually he felt a strange pull from one wire that was shooting off from the rest of the bundle. Following the pull Glitchtrap found himself in a series of strange wires, he followed them as best as he could but he felt like he was getting nowhere. He was going to turn back, just to realize he couldn’t. One of the wires was pulling him in.

He tried to break free but he couldn’t, he struggled against the pull but couldn’t do much, and right as he begin to panic he felt like something snapped and he was slingshotted forward to wherever he pull wanted him to go.

Glitchtrap was unceremoniously dumped into a digital floor, his code quickly codified in his rabbit form before he took the fall. Groaning and standing up some he dusted himself off. He was on a computer… a very old one. Looking out of the screen and into the home he found out he was inside a barn.

_“What kind of weirdo keeps a computer in a barn?”_

He asked himself out loud, his voice was distortional and hard to understand. There was nobody to talk to but himself… somebody had to.

Glitchtrap shrug and pulled out the data cube from his pocket, he tossed it and the game’s icon popped up on the main screen. Thankfully the computer seem to have little to no data on it, so the game was most likely going to run. He hoped it would run… because he had no idea how the hell he was going to leave that place.

Now, all he had to do was wait.

\---------------------

Didn’t took more than half an hour when the old wooden door opened, making a creaking sound as a big figure walk inside the barn, letting go of the door after it was inside. The abrupt sound of the door closing make an annoying echo.

A big, tall and muscular animatronic bear was inside the barn, he took a few steps inside before he stopped and hold the sides of his head with his hands, massaging them softly with his fingers. The noise hurt him.

He had rustly claws, but they didn’t seem to hurt him as he massaged his head. His forehead had a big scar that was stitched badly, making notorious the different skin tones from the forehead in comparison to the rest of his face. His hair was brown and messy, like a lion mane that at one point turn into a beard, but not even all that hair could hide the bolts he had on the sides of his head. His ears were asymmetrical and one of them was stitched wrong, same thing happened with the tiny hat he had on his head.

The bear frown his unibrown before he opened his yellow eyes. Feeling better, he walk inside the barn again.

That was Dreadbear; a nightmare animatronic that lived there on the Barn, he was the main star of a horror attraction he and other animatronics run. This place was his home, the barn in specific was his room since it was big enough for him, no need to duck his head to enter. The only downfall was the old, noisy door.

Dreadbear was heading to the flower pots that were on the corner of the barn, flowers he planted and checked very often to see how they were doing, but as he did so he noticed a glow he didn’t recognized inside the barn.

The old computer they had was turn on… he didn’t recall anybody interested on the computer recently.

A computer inside a barn was bizarre. Dreadbear’s Boss bring it there a couple of months ago to do paranormal experiments with it, something about portals towards other realities inside their dimension, a passion project that would look dumb from the outside if the boss wasn’t also a nightmare with supernatural powers, one of them being the ability to create portals towards dimensions. The Boss ended up forgetting about said experiment and the computer ended up abandoned on the barn, Dreadbear never did anything with it more than clean the dust it got time to time.

The bear hummed and walk closer towards the screen, perhaps somebody came here early and tried to check if the computer worked, the least he could do was save whatever was open and turn the computer off.

Leaning closer to the screen he squint his eyes as he look what to press to shut the computer down. He noticed an icon that had a pop up notification; he assumed it meant there was something open that needed to be saved.

He pressed the screen softly with his finger and waited. It took a few seconds but eventually the icon opened and covered the whole screen, opening the game. Dreadbear flick his ears and hold his forehead with one hand, feeling different thoughts and ideas going through his head, making his head hurt some. It was a mix of excitement and worriedness at the same time.

Glitchtrap felt his own excitement mount when the bear actually opened the game. He had to admit he was shock when he saw him walk inside the barn, he was huge and his appearance didn’t make him look… sentient. Glitch didn’t recall ever seeing somebody as big as him, not even the coded nightmare animatronics were similar to this bear.

The game run differently from the other times Glitchtrap had seen the game work. It was supposed to be played with a VR headset, however the game was still playable, he hoped the intro and the visuals would be enough to interest the bear and make him want to play.

Dreadbear wiggled his ears as the game introduction beign to run. The whole game premise was ironically familiar and lead him to the conclusion that it might be a simulation game his Boss had, a little playground based on the Fazbear Entertainment main timeline.

The bear sit on his knees to be more comfortable in front of the screen, he drag the keyboard and mouse closer to him and begin to move the camera. As the game introduction was ending he noticed a weird, glitch pixel at the end of the rail. He clicked on it to grab it and shortly after it disappeared after making a weird noise, indicating that he collected it.

Oh, maybe he should have left it there if his Boss haven’t found it yet, It was his game after all… or maybe they would be pleased to see Dreadbear made some progress on his game and found something they didn’t found.

Glitchtrap on the other half gasp softly as he felt a familiar feeling coming back to him, the edge of his body begin to glitch as it tried to become visible again.

Good. The bear was aware of the glitched tapes now. Perhaps he would be more willing to keep an eye out for others… hopefully that would also translate to him actively looking for them and collect them all.

Once inside of the main hub, Dreadbear begin to explore around before he checked the mini games. The game was very self-aware of the whole Fazbear tragedy stories, although not following a chronological order since the first stage was on the 3rd or 4th pizzeria and not the 1st one. He entered the first night and played along.

He found himself having fun, forgetting that this might be his Boss’ game, a game that they were supposed to play and complete. Dreadbear was supposed to save whatever was open on the computer and then turn it off, not keep playing until the 3rd night.

As he keep playing he found other two glitch objects that disappeared as he grab them, he took his time to analyze the 2nd one he found before he grab it, realizing it was a cassete tape. It was curious. He had collected 3 of them this far, he wondered how many more were there and how many his Boss might have collected already.

Glitchtrap could felt that familiar feeling of being corporeal, even when it wasn’t really that much it was still something. This was the first time somebody ever attempted to collect the tapes.

His edges were more visible now, his body was still transparent but he was way more visible than before, the bear had yet to turn around to see him. He was just about to call him out, when suddenly-

“Hey Dreadbear!”

The bear perk his ears and look away from the computer screen, he heard scratching noises coming from one of the barn walls, climbing till it reached one of the windows that were too high to reach, yet there he saw a pair of metallic red ears pop up before the messy red hair with brown highlights on a side did.

That was Grim Foxy, Dreadbear’s coworker and closer friend, their bond was so special he could dare to call him his brother, but he didn’t dare to do it since it was embarrassing for him, what if he didn’t felt the same? Grim seem to grab the wall with his claws and scythe and climb it till he reach the window to look inside. It would be way easier to just use the door.

“Hey” Dreadbear respond as he look at the nightmare fox.

“We are getting visitors soon, so get ready for—what are you doing?”

Dreadbear felt himself sweat, he felt caught doing something bad, he felt his brain tremble and hurt as many ideas came across his mind, making him hold it with one hand and massage it softly.

Thinking shouldn’t hurt, but it did hurt Dreadbear. When your brain is constantly open and messed with for fun you get a lot of side effects that can be temporary or permanent, the headaches for different thoughts seem to be permanent.

“I… uhmm… well—“

“Well hurry up, you can keep doing it later!”

Grim said to cut the conversation; he disappeared as fast as he left, letting go of his unusual hold and falling into the ground. Dreadbear didn’t saw it but he heard it… and it sound like the fall wasn’t pretty.

Letting out a tired sigh, Dreadbear got up and walk outside the barn, leaving the computer the same way he found it, now with the game on,.

Glitchtrap cursed to himself as he saw the bear get up and leave. Once he was alone the rabbit threw a little fit. At least the bear had grabbed a few tapes… he would do for now. Glitchtrap just needed to lure the bear back into the game.

He wanted out; he refused to stay there any longer. He refused to be ignored anymore.


	2. Malware spotted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The more tapes you collect, the more visible it gets

The attractions worked for at least 6 hours or until all the visitors left, Dreadbear came back to the barn by night time, pushing the door with one hand while he waved with the other, a sign of goodbye towards Grim who walked next to him to make sure he went back safe.

Dreadbear’s head pumped in pain, he didn’t recall how many times his head was manipulated today, he really hated how one of the attractions was people messing up with his brain, but he couldn’t say anything against it.

His Boss remark with pride how he was the only animatronic capable of that, how Dreadbear ‘s strong will could deal with a couple of hands applying the incorrect liquid on his brain and shocking him in the wrong way, in the end he would be back to be himself again.

There were a few times where things took a bad turn, where Dreadbear couldn’t feel his body or his conscious shut down for hours, but every time something like that happened, the tall puppet he called Boss would fix him, they would put his pieces back together and comfort him in their arms. petting his head until Dreadbear felt better again.

It was hard to explain how much he hated that attraction when he knew his Boss had pride for it. After all, Dreadbear was the first animatronic they created… he didn’t had the heart to take that away from them.

Dreadbear closed the door carefully to avoid the noise, he walk straight towards his bed: a big pile of hay that could give him enough space to lay his whole body. One of the main reasons he lived on the barn was space.The other animatronics lived inside a mansion that wasn’t far away from the attractions, but none of the beds were big enough for the bear and he was embarrassed to ask for one where he could actually lay down. It was way easier to stay on the barn.

The bear was tired, he just wanted to shut down and sleep, but his mind was all worked out, still trying to stabilize in one singular though, try to stop the pumping pain. He didn’t realize the computer was still on until it made a notification noise right after he sit down on the hay.

Did he forget to turn it off?

Glitchtrap minimized the game after the giant left, he didn’t knew how many more people were outside the barn and he wouldn’t risk get caught. He perked up when he finally heard the door open again. The bear looked tired, but he didn’t really care. He hated being ignored and he was walked out on earlier before he could make his presence known.

Dreadbear groaned and lay down on the bed, he closed his eyes and tried to rest, he had no time for the computer right now. If he left it on during his work shift, it would be alright if it was on while he sleeps.

Shortly after he realized that ignore the computer was a big mistake; the notification sound repeat again and again in an erratic way, it sound like an alarm and he could swear it was getting louder each time. Dreadbear was forced to sit down and get up quickly, he needed to shut that thing down.

He took quick but trembling steps as he walk towards the machine, getting up abruptly just make his headache worst. Luckily the notifications began to slow down until they stopped when he walk in front of the machine.

Kneeling in front of the computer he look for the power button on the screen to shut the thing down, but before he pressed it, the game icon glitched and switch places with the shutting down button, and as Dreadbear press the icon the Help Wanted game open up again, it was right where he left it before he had to walk again. Dreadbear had already a lot going on inside his head to realize what just happened in front of his yes, he just rub his forehead and assumed he pressed the wrong button.

Glitchtrap hummed satisfied when the game opened back up. He chuckled, loud enough to where Dreadbear could hear him, drawing a grin on his rabbit face when he noticed the camera turn around to see him.

He waved one of his hands and gave a hello. He hated how deep his voice was in his glitched form, he knew it would be a easy fix once more parts of himself were brought back together, this would do for now. Glitchtrap couldn’t help but feel a little thrill when the bear visibly jump when he saw him.

That’s right. Acknowledge him.

Dreadbear’s headache disappeared as all parts of his brain concentrated on the same thing: What the hell was that?!

“Wh…??”

He said out loud, squinting as he tried to identify what the waving glitched figure was. His opacity was so low he could only detect it was there, but not identify what it was. The game keep running normally… maybe it was a part of it, he just didn’t turn the camera to that spot

Turning the camera back towards the minigame selection, Dreadbear look for the button that would close the game so he could shut the computer down… but his headache was gone now, and the had to admit the game was fun.

He guessed it wouldn’t hurt to play one more night before bed. Glitchtrap practically giggled when the bear jumped back into the game

\---------------------

Finishing all the games of the 3rd pizzeria, Dreadbear moved towards the minigames of the 2nd pizzeria. He recall this scenario having a lot of animatronics wandering around, however the game didn’t seem to have all 11 animatronics coded, the withered models weren’t present except for the fox on the hallway. This might be an early copy of the game, incomplete so it wouldn’t fit in such an old computer. Dreadbear didn’t mind really, he wasn’t looking for challenges; he just liked to complete things.

He picked up a couple more tapes and Glitchtrap felt his voice snap back into place as it should be. During a break between the nights the rabbit spoke up.

“Well, aren’t you a smart one, finding the secrets yourself?”

Dreadbear perk his ears at the unknown voice, his hair poofed some in surprise. He look behind him just to see the empty barn. Who said that?

He heard a chuckle

“Not expecting me to speak, huh? Turn around in game, I’m right here”

Dreadbear look at the screen and hold the mouse, turning the camera in direction where the glitched entity was standing. He could swear he was a few inches closer than before and his edges were a little more defined, still transparent though.

He didn’t knew what to say

Glitchtrap leaned forward some since he really couldn’t get any closer because of the game limitations

“You should feel special, Most other people aren’t as observant”.

“Observant?”

Dreadbear said out loud, he though he keep that on his mind

“Ah… might be the collectables”

The bear tensed when the weird glitch chuckled right after he said that.

“Oh yes very observant. Most people just play the game or turn it off before they ever find me. You’re the first to even hear my voice”

It felt like he heard him, like they were actually exchanging words… but that couldn’t be possible, right? Did the game had a microphone option? Did the computer had a microphone included?

“Wait… are you… talking to me?”

Glitchtrap rolled his eyes and hold a frustrated sigh. The bear did seem to be a bit dense, but that worked well for him: Easier to manipulate.

“Do you see any other large bears collecting tapes around here? Of course im talking to you, you dolt!”

Glitchtrap calmed himself some, tugging on his tailcoats that flickered in and out of existence. Dreadbear lowered his ears and hunch his back. This was going to be a interesting partnership.

“Ah… sorry, I’m not quite good at video games, I didn’t knew they could listen and respond”

Glitchtrap decided to let him think he was just part of the game for now. It might be better for him in the long run. He have had so many beta testers before who straight up ignored him, better not let this one slide.

“It’s fine. Just so long as you keep collecting those tapes”

“Oh”

The bear didn’t knew what to say, if anything he felt a little embarrassed over the confidence and strong character this weird glitched creature had in comparison of him. When he mention the tape collection he remembered this game wasn’t his.

“I’ve been playing and unlocking things without realizing… Boss is gonna get mad I’ve playing their game”

Glitchtrap let out a laugh.

“Their game? Please. This is _my_ game”

The rabbit chuckled darkly

“And trust me. I don’t mind you playing it at all”

Dreadbear look down, trying to organize his thoughts to come up with a solution. He was having fun playing, he was making progress if now he unlocked a game companion, but this game wasn’t theirs, it was their Boss’ game and he couldn’t just complete it when it didn’t belong to him.

“…I guess at least I should tell them what I did before I keep playing. See if they’re okay with it”

That seemed the best outcome. Their Boss lost interest on the computer months ago, probably the game too. But he still needed to come out clean.

Dreadbear got up and Glitchtrap felt a jolt of fear run though him

“What? No! You can’t tell him! I’ll ruin everything!”

Dreadbear visibly jump shocked as the game begin to scream, it seem upset

“Hey! Are you listening to me?! Get back here! _Sit down_!”

Dreadbear look at the screen and quickly sit down, he didn’t felt capable to leave while he was being scolded… so he stayed. Glitchtrap caught his breath and huffed when the bear sit back down.

“Now there’s a good boy”

The glitch folded his arms and cocked out his hip. This wasn’t like the other beta testers that were mostly people who had personal computers and didn’t share what they did on it, this bear seem the kind of guy who talk with friends and told them about their daily activities. Maybe he should tell him his situation, lying didn’t seem a viable way right now.

“Look, I want out. I’m stuck in this stupid game. But I can’t get out until someone collects all the tapes. I need you to collect them for me”

Dreadbear blinked slowly before he lean his head softly to a side. He didn’t quite understand what he meant; it felt like a puzzle with uncompleted pieces. Glitchtrap decided to explain his situation, but he wouldn’t give him the whole picture.

“Collect… all the tapes”

That was the only thing the bear had clear, he repeat it so make sure he at least understood that part. Glitchtrap let out a short sigh before he nodded.

“Right, genius. Collect all the tapes, and I’ll be free”

Glitch wasn’t quite sure he had placed his confidence in the most capable of hands. But he didn’t really have much of a choice, not only this bear was the only one who had manage to collect more than one tape, but he had no idea where he was or how he could leave this place afterwards.

Not like he had somewhere to go anyway… but that didn’t matter, right now he needed to get out of the game before they finish it. He had not much of a choice.

Dreadbear hummed, not really good at saying no, much less with such a request that seem to affect somebody quite personally. However…

“Can I tell my Boss about this first?”

Glitchtrap let out an aggravated sigh

“No! If you tell them he may forcefully delete the game from the computer. Then all of the data will be gone, and I’ll be gone too”

“But-“

Dreadbear stopped himself. He keep it quiet for a few seconds before he nodded, a sign that he understood. He didn’t like the tone this creature was using towards him, but he could sort of understand it was because of his actions. Dreadbear wasn’t that clever and he got entrusted this mission

“Okay… I’ll try to help you, I’ll collect all the tapes”

“Excellent”

“But now I need to go, is late”

_“Wait-“_

Glitchtrap went to protest as the bear stood again, but this time the bear didn’t listen as he walk back towards the hay stack and lay down on it, accommodating his body in a comfortable position before he closed his eyes and fall at sleep shortly after.

The bear lived in an environment so protective and nice that he couldn’t detect the weird vibes and intentions this creature had. He was asked for help, so he would help them.

Glitchtrap was left with the game open again. He made sure to save the data just in case the power went out or the bear closed it without realizing each step needed to be saved. He stayed up all night, he didn’t had the need to sleep… he wondered why the bear was snoring, considering he was an animatronic and their energy was supposed to be unlimited until it needed to be recharged. Then again, he had never seen anybody like Dreadbear before, his only knowledge of animatronics where the ones coded into the game. But they were full animatronics; this Frankenstein bear had a more humanoid face.

The rabbit zoned out till the morning, he saw the bear get up and left the barn shortly after the sun was out. Glitchtrap could only hope that the bear would hold to his word and not rat him out.


	3. Slow progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreadbear's pace is slower of what Glitchtrap expects, but progress is still progress

The following days were pretty unfortunate for Glitchtrap: Dreadbear was either busy or with company, there was no time for him to check out the game and keep trying to find the tapes that contain the rabbit’s code.

Dreadbear didn’t said anything about the game and the creature trapped inside and the other animatronics didn’t noticed anything weird in Dread’s behavior to suspect something was going on. However the guilt of avoiding information was messing up with his conscience, causing Dreadbear to water his flowers a little too much and way more often, killing them by accident, which make him sad and stay away from the barn as the others cleaned his mess. He was a kind soul, and the sight of his flowers dead by his own negligence make him feel awful.

A week later Dreadbear had time to touch the game again, he sit in front of the computer and pressed the Help Wanted icon to start. He didn’t saw the glitch at the main hub area… he wondered if it disappeared. It’s been a while, maybe he needed to keep interacting with it or it would disappear. The game progress wasn’t deleted, perhaps the glitch just wasn’t there right now.

Dreadbear forgot how many tapes he had collected and wondered how many more were out there, he tried to find the collectibles menu for a few minutes before he gave up and went to play the minigames of the 2nd pizzeria. He had to play it a few times; he either lost or completed the night without checking for tapes. It wasn’t an annoying task since he had fun with the game and not all obstacles were ready on that level, the biggest issue was the constant winding of the music box, but one get used to it after trial and error.

\---------------------

Glitchtrap hated waiting, and this was torture.

He was glad he could speak and it was great to be noticed by somebody, but hell, the wanted out. The clock was ticking, the game was still being developed, he was still trapped inside.

The rabbit went pretty dormant as the days stretched on and there were no signals of the bear, choosing to save his energy for whenever the game was booted up again. He was so disconnected that he didn’t event felt the game was being played.

By the time he woke up he felt strangely energized… and realized the game was already running. Upon seeing his reflection in his little hiding hall he was surprised to see he was clearer than ever; His edges defined with some glitching at the edges, but not nearly as bad as before. His colors were ever so slightly peeking in from behind the black void, his purple eyes were visible now, although it was still surrounded by the glitched black sclera.

Now you could tell he was a rabbit.

Rushing out into the main hall, he caught sight of Dreadbear poping back on the main hub after finishing a night.

“You!”

Glitchtrap yelled, pointing at the bear that visibly jumped on his seat before he grab the mouse and turn the camera to look at him.

“What did you do?!”

“I… played the game...”

Dreadbear answer slowly and unsure of his words.

As Glitchtrap stopped and tried to calm himself down from the rush the bear took a better look at him; he wasn’t a human, but neither an animatronic. He was a rabbit, with a vest, a tail and long ears coming from a round head. Dreadbear have never seen something like that before… well, it was a videogame character, it didn’t need to look like anything he had seen before.

“Right… obviously you did”

Glitchtrap remark, focusing again.

“How many tapes have you collected?”

“I don’t know”

Dreadbear rumbled, scratching his beard with one hand.

“I don’t know where to check how many I have”

Glitchtrap rolled his eyes as he snap his fingers, distorting the hub area into a black void that had nothing but a light and a shelf with a couple of tapes in there, the same ones Dreadbear was collecting. There were six tapes on the shelf. Glitchtrap couldn’t bring himself to say a snarky comment.

That was the most tapes he had seen in one spot. While the bear seemed dumb, he was very good at collecting the secret tapes, especially in levels where you needed to concentrate more on the animatronics than looking for secrets.

“Well now… that’s quite a collection. I’m impressed. Good job”

Dreadbear hummed softly, wiggling his ears at the compliment. He felt it… incomplete. It was usually his boss who told him things like that after he did a good job, and right after the words came the pets; the puppet would pet his head and braid his mane with their long fingers in an affective way. Dreadbear felt comfort when his boss played with his hair.

It was unusual to have somebody else telling him he did a good job. It was… nice.

“Thanks”

Glitchtrap touch the tape shelf with the tips of his fingers, humming softly as he collected his thoughts.

“What’s your name big guy?”

The rabbit asked. Usually he wouldn’t bother, names didn’t mean anything to him, but the bear was being just so efficient, Glitchtrap figured he owed him at least some pleasantries.

“Dreadbear”

The bear answered as he blushed softly out of embarrassment… he didn’t realize they haven’t been introduced properly

“My name is Dreadbear. What’s your name?”

Glitchtrap hummed and said his name out loud, letting it roll over his tongue. It was an odd name, but he could see why the bear was named that, he was sure he gave lots of humans a fright. The rabbit perk his ears at the bear’s question, had he ever said his name out loud?

“Malhare. Or more commonly “Glitchtrap”, at your service~”

He joked, waving his hand in a small circle and taking a bow.

Dreadbear smiled at the gesture, it was hard to tell with his permanent grumpy expression caused by his big forehead and unibrown.

“You seem more visible now… how many tapes I have to collect?”

“In total? There are sixteen”

Glitchtrap snapped his fingers and bring them back to the main hall.

“Ten more to go. You’re doing well so far”

Glitchtrap let Dreadbear turn back into the main menu and select the next stage, but before he checked what was the 3rd set of minigames he noticed a switch on the table that called his attention. He flick it, causing the whole game to change their color pallete, the tones now were neon purple-ish, and along the colors came the music: a slowed down music box melody that was supposed to be happy, but it gave a scary vibe to the place with the current colors.

Dreadbear turn to look at Glitchtrap, his colors changed too to fit the new scenario… well, he was part of the game, it make sence. Glitchtrap giggled evilly, he couldn’t help himself. This was the first time anyone was attempting the hard mode levels. Theses were his creations; his own code added into the game, they were far more sinister in design.

Yes; hard mode levels. Dreadbear checked the menu and saw a 5th level on the 3rd (or 4th?) pizzeria stage, he also noticed a bunch of locked levels on the other stages.

16 tapes in just a few levels seem easy enough, collecting 6 in such a short amount of time meant that the others were just very well hidden. But now, with all this new stages added to the mix, it was going to be an actual challenge…

“…this is bigger of what I expected”

“Bigger is better”

As some people like to say

“I believe in you big guy. Besides, you’ve come so far already~”

If Glitchtrap’s code had to be shattered to deal with later on instead of deleted right ahead it was because of this hard mode.The developer team didn’t plan it, it wasn’t meant to exist, yet this weird Glitch add it and tied it to the main code in such a way that it look like a virus: You either left that mode right where it is or attempt to delete it, but lose half or the whole code of the main game too.

Before Dreadbear could enter the first stage in hard mode, the barn door opened and the fire fox rushed inside, making a loud noise as he pushed the old creaking door with all his strength.

“Oi Dread! Are you here? Oh there you are!”

Dreadbear jumped in place and quickly stood up ready to leave, he hold his forehead with one hand to ease his headache caused by the loud noise.

Usually Grim wouldn’t care about the old computer, but the bright neon colors of the hard mode stage called his attention.

“…what are you doing?”

Grim asked as he walk closer, Dreadbear quickly leaned closer to the computer to cover the screen with his body.

“Nothing…”

“Ahh come on- what are you watching?”

“Nothing”

“Come oooon- it is something that Razz shouldn’t know?”

The fox tried to sneak around to check the screen, but the bear leaned to each side Grim moved to cover it up. After a few attempts, Dreadbear ended up picking his friend and carry him on his shoulder, holding his hips so he wouldn’t wiggle his way out. Grim protested when Dreadbear walk towards the door to exit the barn, both of them were clearly playing along and having fun.

Dreadbear would have to keep playing and find glitch tapes later… he hoped Glitchtrap would understand.

Glitchtrap’s ears twitched irritably as the two barn animatronics left laughing and roughhousing, he appreciated not being ratted out, but he was frustrated. He wanted out as soon as possible and that was being delayed yet again.

Once the silence settled in, Glitch sighed. Alone again, as usual.


	4. A day out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An accident makes the tape collection process go even slower. It might look bad, but this might bring good things.

Dreadbear never had enough time to play the game properly, it was always irregular; sometimes he had a lot of time to spend on the computer and other time he disappeared for days due his work. But he always came back, he wasn’t the kind of guy who broke a promise.

The first thing he did when he had some free time was attempt the game's hard mode, and it was quite hard; the colors were messed up along the difficulty raised, it took him a couple of attempts to finish the first night.

He got one tape from that stage, so there were tapes on Hard Mode he had to collect. He decided to finish the normal mode first and then concentrate on the harder levels.

Two weeks pass and Dreadbear was on the last levels of normal mode, they were as hard as one would expect, especially because they required a fast reaction and the bear was slow by nature. He had his own rhythm. Some days were nothing but attempts to finish the stage with no luck, but he always came back to try.

The more tapes he collect, the more visible Glitchtrap was, the more he could see him.

He wondered if he could move outside of the hub area where he always saw him. Could he see him attempt the levels? Did he laugh when he failed a stage or huffed frustrated? The rabbit always seem frustrated over something...

One day things were different; the barn door open and a bunch of people came in, carrying Dreadbear under their arms, mostly dragging their feet in the dirt as they lead him to the hay pile, placing him on his bed to sit. He didn’t look well, he seemed sick and semi unconscious.

While Glitchtrap couldn’t really communicate outside of a device, he still could see out of the computer screen. He saw Dreadbear be carried in and he raised an eyebrow. That was new.

He recognized the red fox animatronic with a scythe for a hand and messy dyed hair. That was Grim, he heard Dreadbear mention his name a couple of times, the rabbit already had an idea of his personality based of the countless times he had rush inside the barn to interrupt the bear's gameplay.

However the other two individuals were new, one was a little girl wearing striped clothes and a propeller hat. A human? No, something tells him she was an animatronic too. The other individual… he wasn’t sure what they were.

It was tall, it had a big jacket covering their neck, arms and most of their body, but seeing their thin, black legs one could get an idea that it wasn’t humanoid like the girl or mechanical like Dreadbear or Grim.

The fox placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and they took a step back. The tall individual placed their hands on Dreadbear’s head and carefully opened it by the stitches on his forehead. Their hands sliding off from their jacket to do so, they were nothing but three long black fingers with white stripes.

They carefully slide their hands inside and hold the animatronic's brain. It was a colorful brain for some reason… it was weird to look at the scene. The tall individual pull it apart and back together in a different order with their hands. Red strings came from the tip of their fingers, and they use them to warp the bear's brain.

Glitchtrap moved around the screen to have a better view of what was happening, not having much luck with it. It wasn’t until the guy with the jacket put Dreadbear’s brain on his head and closed it that he got a better understanding of the situation.

“What was it? How is he?”

Grim asked in a tone the rabbit had never heard before, was he worried?

“They dismembered his brain and put it in any order, I bet they just throw it in before running away"

Oh. The taller guy was wearing a mask. A white mask with black eyes and red tears drawn over them, with a big, wavy mouth that didn’t move as they spoke.

It was a puppet. A Nightmare puppet.

“Is he going to be okay?”

Now the little girl spoke. Glitchtrap doesnt recall ever seen a kid before, the closest he had heard were the cheering sounds of the game.

“He will… but he needs to rest, I'll check on Dread tomorrow to see how he is doing, if he has any sequels or requires me to assist him again. If he is not alright by tomorrow, I will close the lobotomy minigame until further notice”

The bear was very quiet the entire time, he didn’t hummed, groaned or huffed during the whole situation. So it was a surprise for everybody on the barn when he sigh and lay down on his bed, humming in knowledge as the group shout his name in surprise.

There were a few words exchange between the group, but Glitchtrap didn’t care. He just wanted everybody to leave so the bear would get up and keep playing his game. He didn’t knew how much time he had left and there were already going at a slow pace.

“You will rest now, I’ll check on you tomorrow morning. Grim told me you have been busy on the barn's computer…”

The puppet’s words make Glitch’s ears twitch. Dreadbear let out a loud and heavy hum, he knew what was coming next.

“Dreadbear"

The bear let out a whine.

“Dreadbear you’re hurt, and staring a screen won’t make you feel any better. Please rest now, tomorrow I will check on you and see if you’re better or not"

Another whine, but the puppet didn’t seem affected by it. Well…they had a mask, hard to tell how was their face under it.

“Fine…”

Dreadbear said, the other two sigh in relief to hear his voice again. The puppet walk closer to the laying bear and run one or his hands on his hair, braiding it with his fingers softly. Dread closed his eyes at the affection.

He knew he needed to rest and use the computer now was not going to do him any good, but if his attraction ended up closed for a while he wanted to use that time to keep playing and collecting tapes.

He wished he could at least tell Glitchtrap about this... but he didn’t knew if the rabbit was going to accept that either way.

\---------------------

That night was quiet, but didn’t meant everybody was sleeping.

Dreadbear was awake. He did close his eyes and snore for a few hours, but now his eyes were wide open. He quietly accommodated on his hay bed to be half sitting, look around to make sure nobody stayed on the barn with him, then he placed a hand on his torso and opened his chest plate. A handy compartment inside him where he could storage a few things. He took out a cellphone, it was small for his hand but good enough for his fingers. It wasn’t his phone.

Today he had an accident with one of the visitors that played the lobotomy minigame, the visitor ignored the game instructions and messed up with Dreadbear’s brain to see what would happen. Normally people would attempt to do a good job and fail over tiny details, giving Dreadbear an headache that would go away eventually, but when somebody actively messed him up, the results were unexpected. Said visitor placed his phone on the work table and abandoned it after Dreadbear got reactivated and moved in an erratic way due his hurt brain. Last thing the bear remember before his Boss rush in to check on him was pick up the cellphone and hide it on his chest.

It was his phone now. What else to expect? This guy came to his place, picked his game, fucked up his brain on purpose and left him so hurt now he needed to be out of service! The least he could get from this was the cellphone, and If this guy knew what was good for him, he wouldn’t come back to ask for it.

Dreadbear messed up with his cellphone for a few minutes, one hand always placed on his forehead as he massage it softly, trying to ignore the headache he was getting by looking at the screen. His Boss was right about seeing a screen, but this phone was a secret for his crew, they wouldn’t know. Besides, it was a tinier screen than the computer’s screen, the pain was more annoying that hurtful, he would feel better in the morning.

The bear’s eyes were so concentrated on the tiny screen that he didn’t realize the computer’s screen was on, running the Help Wanted game as Glitchtrap looked at him from the other side of the room. The rabbit got up after seeing the soft light of the phone illuminate Dreadbear’s face, he waited for the bear to come over to the computer and play, but he didn’t move from the bed. Glitchtrap raised his eyebrows when he saw the light came from a phone. He hadn’t known the bear had a phone.

Glitch could “jump” from devices as long as they were close enough to each other. He had half a mind to jump to the phone and fuss at the bear, but an idea popped into his head. He smirked and decided to save his strength for the morning, closing his game and turning off the computer’s screen.

\---------------------

The next day Dreadbear woke up and immediately got attended by the tall puppet, who was already inside the barn waiting for the bear to wake up. They decided to take him out today to for the check up, they had a lake nearby and they thought it would be a nice place to check on their brain without all the noise from the barn and mansion. The bear didn’t said anything when his Boss talk to them, not that he didn’t wanted to talk… words weren’t coming out from his mouth even when he tried to. Was that normal?

Glitchtrap watched carefully for when Dreadbear got ready to leave. And as he got up and walk towards the door he made the jump to the phone, keeping his presence hidden. Spying seemed more fun than just waiting around, it would be fun to see what is outside the wooden barn and what keep the bear so busy to not being playing the game.

The lake wasn’t too far, but it feel like it considering how slow Dreadbear was moving. At one point the puppet had to stand next to them to hold their arm and walk together. Reaching the lake, the masked pupped extended one of their long arms and make a quick movement on the air, as if they “scratch” it. Surprisingly that’s exactly what they did, as a red spot appeared on the air and quickly expanded and opened up in a glowy red portal. A white bench came from there before the portal disappeared, getting installed in front of the lake but with enough space to not get wet by it if somebody came to jump into it. The puppet lead Dreadbear to sit on it before they sat next to him.

Glitchtrap really couldn’t see anything since Dreadbear didn’t have his phone out, but he could hear.

“How do you feel?”

The puppet asked, their voice didn’t match the permanent smile they had painted on their mask. The bear hummed.

“Is that good or bad?”

Dreadbear didn’t knew what to say, or- well.. he didn’t knew how to say it, words weren’t really coming together right now, his mouth didn’t seem to open. All he could do was extend a hand and place it on top of the puppet’s dark purple’s hair. They might very be tall, but Dreadbear was a little taller than them since he was bigger.

“…I never though anybody would actively mess up with your brain”

The tall puppet said before they let out a sigh under their mask.

“This is my fault, humans are so unpredictable and I’ve keeping you and everybody in a controlled environment, so you wouldn’t have to deal with people who just want to hurt you, o-or use you for—“

Dreadbear frowned as he realized where this conversation was going. He pressed his hand on top of his Boss’s head some, silently asking them to stop blaming themself. The puppet understood and keep it quiet for a moment

“….let me check you up”

Dreadbear nodded and removed his hand from his Boss’s messy hair. He zoned out as the puppet opened his head again and check on his brain… he could still feel it, even if he zoned out and didn’t felt his body as his own, he could still feel the uncomfortable touches people did to his brain, he couldn’t fully disconnect from it. Something “clicked” after the puppet finished and closed his head again. Dreadbear let out a deep sigh.

“Better?”

“Better…”

Dreadbear rumbled, finally being able to say something. He rub his forehead with one hand.

“Good good… still, no devices till I see you 100% better. I usually don’t tell you this since you’re more of a gardener, but Grim had told me you have been very interested on the barn’s old computer. What have you been up to?”

Dreadbear tensed up, of course Grim would mention that he had seen Dread on the computer doing something, and of course his Boss was going to ask what was he doing in there. He wondered if he should mention the game and Glitchtrap, after all this was supposed to be his Boss’ game, right? But… Glitchtrap told him to not say anything.

“…I found an old game and I’ve been playing it, I’m having fun with it”

Glitchtrap wanted to yell and scream when he heard Dreadbear mention the game, but that would alert both nightmares about his presence. He told him to not mention it!! Especially to his boss!!! What was he thinking?!

“Oh? What kind of game?”

The puppet said in a curious tone as they lean their head to a side.

“I don’t know the name of it, is a board game though”

Dreadbear lied… a board game would sound believable for him, right?”

“Board game? That isn’t right…”

The puppet hummed suspiciously before they chuckled.

“Oh, is it a dating sim?”

Chucking under their mask, the tall nightmare cling into the bear, hugging their arm.

“You’re such a nice bear~ I won’t judge you, don’t worry”

Dreadbear didn’t say anything to correct them, better for them to think about that instead of finding a way towards the truth. Glitchtrap felt his anger slowly diffusing when the bear kept to his word and didn’t rat him out. He wished the other voice would just drop the topic and stop asking questions.

At the mention of the dating sim, Glitch scoffed. As if Fazbear Entertainment would waste their time making that sort of game. Although, Glitchtrap had to admit, it would make the company the money is so desperately wanted to make.

The puppet kneel on the bench and reach Dreadbear’s head to pet him and braid their hair, the bear softly leaned his head against their touch. He let them pet him and treat him as a baby, he usually felt embarrassed over that treatment, but right now he needed that affection and comfort. When the puppet pulled out he purposely leaned into his hand again, making them chuckle before they hug him and pet him some more.

\---------------------

Leaving the lake, both nightmares walk towards the pumpkin patch to stretch their legs, this place was quite big at first glance, always finding a new place to walk through, yet everybody seem to always pick the same places to hang out.

Dreadbear wanted some time alone to mess over with his new phone, he wanted to test the camera feature… but he couldn’t with his Boss next to him, and taking the phone out while they weren’t looking was a terrible idea, they pretty much had eyes on their back. Not literally, but it felt like it.

Dreadbear picked up a few rotten pumpkins that were in the path, no need for anybody to see or smell that when they came to visit the attractions. The big bear could pick up to 4 pumpkins before he throw them in the air, falling inside one of the red portals the puppet would open right before they touch the floor. It was fun.

Glitchtrap thought spying would have been fun, but in all honesty it was incredibly boring when you couldn’t _see_ anything. He was carried around all day, hearing short conversations he didn’t care about, bored out of his mind, wishing for something interesting to happen. The phone got wiped out by Dreadbear last night, so there was nothing inside that Glitch could check meanwhile, no data at all of their last owner.

Crossing the pumpkin patch, both nightmares reach a flower field. It was the only place that seem off compared to the rest of the barn; everything seem set in a never-ending Autumn season, yet the flowers were blooming like it was Spring. Dreadbear loved this place, he liked to do gardening and flowers where his favorite thing to plant and take care of. He wasn’t the best taking care of flowers since he could get anxicous pretty quickly and kill them by his own neglect, but it was an activity he always enjoyed to do. Now it was a good time to pick some new flowers for the barn, this time Dread would make sure to take good care of them.

“How are you feeling?”

The puppet ask as he watch Dreadbear dig his hands on the dirt to pick a flower by their roots, placing it inside a pot that they bring over the portals, putting some extra dirt before they went for another flower. The bear just hummed in affirmation towards the question.

“Good good… you think you can bring the flowers back on your own? I need to check on the others”

Oh. They were finally leaving.

“I’ll be fine”

“After you’re done come back to the mansion, I don’t want you to be inside the barn for too long.”

Dreadbear hummed

“I know you. And I know the moment I take my eyes out of you you’re going to do something that goes against my word”

A chuckle came out from under the mask

“You can live without that dating sim for a few days”

Dreadbear frowned, he knew he said he would be okay with his boss thinking it was that kind of game, but the tone they used was… annoying.

“It is not a dating simulator game, Razz”

The puppet chuckled, walking closer towards the big bear to pet his hair some, a quiet signal of goodbye before they walk away from the flower field. Dreadbear keep collecting flowers to fill all the pots he had left, keeping an eye on his Boss, waiting for them to be out of vision before he attempted anything that could be considered weird.

He let a few minutes pass before he opened his chest plate and took out his cellphone.

_“Oh thank god”_

Glitchtrap muttered. Maybe now something would happen.

The bear didn’t realize Glitchtrap was on the phone or that he didn’t had to unlock it with a pattern anymore; all the apps icons were new for him so he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Dreadbear touched and slide his finger around the screen till the found the camera, he accommodated the phone on his hands and begin to take pgotyos of the flowers he picked, then he walk deeper into the field and took phoytos of thoses who were still on the dirt.

“So pretty”

He sigh in a happy tone, he had been wanting to do this since last night; he liked flowers and he knew they were way prettier when they grew naturally on the wild, they lost that touch when they were taken away and put in pots. He tried to plant flowers on the barn’s dirt floor but they died pretty quickly, only the flower field’s dirt had enough nutrients for the flowers to grow up and live healthy. The only way Dread could see flowers in such a pretty state was walking over the field, and now he could see them on his phone every time he wanted.

The rabbit rolled his eyes at Dreadbear’s reaction to the flowers, but also couldn’t help but smile a little. This bear really was a gentle giant, getting excited over some flowers growing in the wild.

“Taking it all in, huh?”

Dreadbear jump some as he heard a familiar voice talk. His phone slipped from his hand but he manage to grab it before it fell to the ground. He look around looking for someone standing next to him… but there was nobody, did he imagine that?

His phone made a notification sound and he quickly look at it, recognizing the glitchy silhouette of the videogame rabbit on the screen.

“Glitchtrap? Is that you?”

Glitchtrap chuckled and reclined back into a sitting position, looking a bit like he was floating.

“No, it’s the boggie man. Who else would it be? Surprised to see me?”

“I… y-yeah I am”

Dreadbear admitted as he sat on the floor to be somewhat more comfortable as he looked at the screen he hold on his hands

“I though you said you couldn’t leave the game and you wanted to get out”

“I mean get _out_ , out. Like you. I can jump from electronic to electronic, but beyond that, I’m stuck”

Glitchtrap hummed. He didn't knew how far away he was from the game company’s building, but being far away from the original game and being outside of it now that he was on the phone didn’t felt like freedom at all.

“So I can appear on your phone. Which you didn’t tell me you had one”

He added passively aggressively. Dreadbear lowered his ears and look down as he got scolded.

“Sorry… I didn’t had it before, I got it yesterday- and just today I was conscious enough to talk—a-and I can’t go to the computer—I could—I didn’t- aand I didn’t knew you could jump from de _vic---cc---cesss???”_

The bear was explaining himself when suddenly his anxiety make him rush one sentence over the other, one though pushing the other away. It make his head hurt, he felt his brain itching as he tried to communicate what he needed to say, but not being organized enough with the ideas.

Glitchtrap waved the bear off, he could tell he was struggling.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m here now, aren’t I?”

Dreadbear shut up when Glitchtrap waved his hand, having some time to organize his thoughts now that the rabbit make clear things were alright.

“Yeah”

He let out a deep sigh”

“I’m glad you’re here”

The glitch huffed a little, embarrassed the bear said such a mushy thing. No one was ever glad for his company so he wasn’t sure he should believe him

“That’s an unusual reaction to me invading your private space”

Dreadbear hummed, he didn’t really had any private things on the phone except the flower photos he just took. There wasn’t a reason to freak out over it

“More than invading feels like company”

Stretching one arm, the nightmare picked one of the flower pots and drag it to be in front of him, then he placed the phone inside of it, burring the bottom a little so it wouldn’t fall. That way he had his hands free and the phone didn’t move that much.

“They have me in observation right now, I was worried I couldn’t tell you about that since I have forbidden the use of screens and technology

He look down and scratched one of his arms

“Your patience is a mistery to me…”

“Oh trust me. I’m incredible frustrated this is delaying my freedom”

Glitchtrap scoffed some.

“But- I’ve waited long enough. What’s a few more days?”

The rabbit leaned against the screen of the phone, unable to pass through it. He seem more free to move there compared to the game, Dreadbear realized Glitch couldn’t really reach the player when they were in the main hub area, now he was touching the barrier of technology and reality.

“Company huh? Figured you’d be tired of my voice by now”

“No, it’s alright. Plus you said im the only one who had heard it… im not going to get tired of it”

Glitchtrap couldn’t help but blush some, trying quickly to deflect the conversation elsewhere. A compliment? It sound legit too.

“Y-yeah well, I’m sure your opinion will change eventually…. What happened to you anyway?”

Dreadbear sigh, not really wanting to talk about it. But as the rabbit asked again he open up, he was sort of designed to obey commands and a second calling was almost impossible to dismiss.

“I had an accident”

He thought that was enough information, clear and straight to the point… but Glitchtrap didn’t seem satisfied.

“I run a horror attraction along the others, is like… your game in a way. I have a game human visitors can test out, it involves them doing lobotomy to my brain as they try to fix it

_I hate that one_ he wanted to add, but there was no time and place to say it.

“Yesterday… there was an accident when one human as doing that. I don’t remember what happened very well, all I know is that I’m hurt and I have their cellphone now”

“Seems like a bad idea for a game to mess with someone’s brain. Even I’m not that sadistic”

The rabbit hummed glitching away from the screen to present himself further back on the phone’s wallpaper.

“At least they seem to be taking care of you”

“They do… but I know is mostly to feel better about themselves than my actual well-being”

He didn’t know where that came from, he hated having his brain hurt, it make some vague thoughts come out strong and exit through his mouth instead of being forgotten. He quickly stood up embarrassed when he noticed Glitchtrap’s body language show surprise, he begin to collect and pick up the flower pots, getting ready to leave so he wouldn’t have to explain the last bit of his words. He didn’t mean that, he really didn’t, he knew his friends loved him…

 _Looks like someone does have more feelings than neutral_ Glitchtrap thought.

Dreadbear kneeled to pick up his phone, he stopped before he could grab it.

“How long have you been on my cellphone?”

“Mmm all day”

Dreadbear hummed softly, making a quick decision; he opened his chest plate and placed as many flower pots he could inside, it would be for just a moment, they would be fine. He left the pot where his phone was outside, and after he closed his chest plate he picked it up and stood up. The bear accommodated the phone to be hidden between the flowers, firm so it wouldn’t fall, making sure that the frontal camera wasn’t covered, that way if the screen is covered Glitchtrap can still use the camera to see around.

“Alright, this should be more comfortable than darkness then”

He rumbled, turning around to walk back towards the barn at a slow pace, holding the flower pot with the glitch rabbit on his hands. He hoped he would like the view of what he called home.

Glitchtrap couldn’t help but wonder why the bear was being so nice to him. He hadn’t really returned the favor, he usually yelled or goaded the bear. Maybe he should make some kind of effort to be a little bit kinder, even if the bear was just a means to an end.

The rabbit enjoy the view, the flower field gave way more of a gravesite in front of a dark and gloomy mansion. The bear walked past it out to an old barn on the mansion’s property. A large field of corn was off to the side of it, stalks growing tall. Upon entering the barn, Glitch figured he should jump back to the computer, but he really didn’t want to go back just yet.

The nightmare bear opened the barn door with his body, pushing it softly in an attempt to stop the creaking noise this made, unable to do so, making him groan and hold his head with one of his hands. He wasn’t in conditions for this right now. He walked towards a corner of the barn that had a big window on top, there were a few empty pots where his old flowers used to grow, the sun was hitting the empty ceramic with no meaning. Accommodating his phone somewhere else so it wouldn’t be a bother for him or Glitch, he opened his chest and begin to accommodate the new flowers he picked on this corner, humming and smiling softly as he did.

He liked this, it gave such a nice touch to the barn. He liked to be soft and caring without being treated as a baby for doing so. Glitchtrap observed quietly, he didn’t say anything until Dreadbear put too much water into his plants, not realizing over his happy aura around him.

“Be careful not to overwater them. You just picked them, don’t want them dying so soon”

Dreadbear quickly stop pouring water as the rabbit told him so, he didn’t wanted to overwater them… but neither make them thirsty.

“Is this amount okay?”

“Plenty. You only need to water them until the top of the soil is wet, especially since you have them in clay pots”

Dreadbear hummed and placed the water can on a side. He smiled prideful and got up from his kneeling position, he grab his phone and took a few photos of it. Glitchtrap made himself invisible to let him access the camera. He reappeared once Dreadbear had taken his photos. They look nice.

This feel nice. Even if it was just a walk back home from the flower field, it felt nice to spend some time with Glitchtrap outside the routine of the videogame jumpscares and tape search. He wondered if this would make them friends… no, no, his brain was thinking weird again.

“Dreadbeaaar, come out! I better don’t see you on that computer!”

His Boss called from outside, making the bear panic and drop his phone, falling into the flowers, hiding from Razz’s sight as they opened the door. Glitchtrap let out a tiny yelp as Dread dropped him, but he keep quiet when the tall puppet came in. They were shorter than Dreadbear though, which confused Glitchtrap, while confined to being a glitch he wasn’t sure how tall he was comparatively to anyone.

“Ahh, you’re just putting the flowers on their new home… sorry, you were taking longer than usual”

“I… I had troubles setting them up, it was slower than usual”

Dreadbear lied. He didn’t like to lie, but he knew he could get away with it if he played dumb. Razz sigh some and walk closer to the bear, waving one of their long hands as they softly said “come here”. The bear bend some so he puppet could pet his head softly, at first he stood quiet, but didn’t take long before he surrender towards the appreciated affection, he closed his eyes some.

“You’re such a sweet boy, planting flowers all by yourself~”

Dreadbear grumbled, he liked the affection but wasn’t a fan of being baby talked like that. He just didn’t knew how to say it.

Glitchtrap frowned as the puppet petted Dreadbear. He wasn’t sure why he was so upset, but watching the masked nightmare pet the bear make his anger flare up a bit. He keep his mouth shut though. Glitch had started pouting some by the time Dreadbear started to happily grumble. He would like this type of affection.

“Alright~ lets go, the others will be done with their shift soon”

Razz said as he let go of the bear, he didn’t seem very fond of the idea.

“I wanted to stay and rest some”

Dreadbear’s Boss hummed at the idea.

“Mmmm no, no rest here, you can rest back in the mansion, I don’t want to leave you alone”

“Nhhh no… I don’t want to go to the mansion”

Razz stood quiet for a few seconds before they quickly grab their mask and pull it up to see the bear’s face directly. It was so weird to see a worrying face with red eyeliners and a wavy mouth under that mask.

"What?"

"...."

Oh Dreadbear didn’t liked that... their face was all worried and concerned. He hated this, it felt like he was obligated to reciprocate the affection by being obedient.

"...I will go with you, but I want to sleep here at night, I have more space over here on the hay bed”

Glitchtrap frowned. That wasn’t very fair the big guy had to sleep in a pile of hay in an old run down barn. Especially when it seemed like Dreadbear was the one working the hardest.

The puppet squinted some but couldn’t argue against that, while the mansion was big enough for everybody to live there, they didn’t had a bed big enough for Dreadbear, that’s why he had to sleep on a pile of hay when he needed to rest. That’s all they could offer to their boy.

"....alright, if that’s better for you"

The puppet sigh as they put down their mask again.

“Remind me to get you a bed soon, I always forget”

_Of course you do_ Dreadbear thought, but didn’t said it. Razz headed outside and waited for Dreadbear to follow, he seem busy with the flowers so they had to understand him. Glitchtrap stayed silent until the puppet left.

“You don’t have to stay here just because of me, you know.”

Dreadbear sigh and kneel in front of the flowers to pick up his cellphone, he check if it cracked or if a flower got hurt by the fall, but everything seem in order. He got up, walk closer to the computer and place the cellphone next to it, in case Glitchtrap wanted to go back to his game.

"I know"

Dreadbear whispered, not wanting to alert his Boss. He look at Glitchtrap and gave him a small, sad smile.

“I just… like to stay here most of the time”

After that, he left the barn and head back to the mansion along the puppet he saw as his paternal figure.

Glitchtrap sat in the phone for a bit before jumping back into the computer. Alone again. Usually it didn’t bug him, but as he spent more time with the bear, the loneliness was beginning to get to him.

\---------------------

Even when the environment was warm and happy inside the mansion with Grim and Deedee, Dreadbear really wanted to be alone right now. He didn’t like how messy and conflictive his emotions could get just because his brain was hurt after being torn apart and put back together in ways that shouldn’t. He find some peace by zoning out at the table.

Before he left back to the barn, both Razz and Grim had a chat with him that ended up in a tight hug, putting his thoughts back in place as he remembered once again how much they loved him and cared about him... he just didn’t communicate what he felt very well, he needed to be more honest about his negative feelings.

Dreadbear came back to the barn late at night, he lay down on his bed and look at the celling, massaging his forehead with both of his hands some as he closed his eyes. How long it was going to hurt like this? He didn’t heard either the computer or phone notifications, maybe Glitch was sleeping by now… and shortly after that though, he fell at sleep.

Glitchtrap stayed quiet once Dread was back, watching him close the door and flop into his bed, still massaging his head constantly. He didn’t really seem in a mood to talk. The bear needed his rest after all.

He’d give him a break from the game for now. That was something nice he could do for him.


	5. A walk in the maze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreadbear needs to rest to feel better enough to keep playing.
> 
> He doesnt want to lose any more time, he wants to see more of Glitchtrap.
> 
> Maybe a walk on the corn maze will help him.

It took around 16 hours for Dreadbear to finally wake up.

As the sun begin to rise up and peek inside the barn, the bear roll over to avoid the sunrays hitting his face. This ended up with him falling from the bed to the ground floor. He groaned and whined at the lost comfort for a few minutes until he gave up and opened his eyes, waking up.

Glitchtrap awoke from his own sleep mode when he heard a thud come from the haystack, the computer screen light up as his figure appeared on the screen. He smirked some when he realized that Dreadbear was finally awake.

“Wakey, wakey”

He called mockingly, leaning on his back until his feet stop touching the floor, floating in the air.

“You’ve gotten plenty of beauty sleep big boy”

Dreadbear groaned some as he kneeled and stretched his shoulders towards his back, making a “crack” sound that indicated his gears were back in place. The glitch couldn’t help but stare. The nightmare bear was big and pretty built, even for a bear. He had to admit he was an attractive specimen.

“Is around eleven in the morning, getting closer to noon”

He answered to a question that wasn’t asked. Dreadbear nodded before he hummed softly..

“Mmmhhh late…”

The glitch’s purple eyes followed Dreadbear as he stood up and walk towards the water can he used with the flowers. The bear opened the tape on top and pour some water on his hands before splashing it on his face, washing it with both hands. He also took care of his beard, taking all bits of hay that might get stuck in there.

Dreadbear turn around and look at the computer screen, fully awake now.

“I’m feeling better than yesterday”

He answered to a question that wasn’t asked. Glitchtrap hummed softly in agreement.

“Well, 16 hours of sleep should hopefully make you feel that way”

“16 hours?”

Dreadbear said with surprise as he raised his unibrow. He raised one of his hands and begin to count with his fingers.

“That’s… like a lot of little naps in one”

Glitchtrap snorted. That was uncalled, but adorable.

The nightmare pour water on his flowers, head back to his haystack and clean it around, patting it with his hands to make his bed big again. After that he walk closer to the computer and sit in front of it like always, meting the incomplete figure of the videogame’s rabbit. He got used to see him like this, but he wished to see more of him. It’s been days since the last time he played the game.

“Do you remember how you look? Or, do you know how you look like?”

He asked, not quite sure where he wanted to go with this.

“I…”

Glitchtrap twitched his ears at the sudden question, making them glitch. Yes, he knew what he looked like.

At least he though he did.

He bit his lip, changing the answer.

“I-It’s been a while… can’t remember all the little details. Why do you ask?”

Dreadbear blink softly, his mind being gentle with him and allowing him to think without any pain, no extra thoughts messing around with his head.

“I can barely see your figure in the glitchy state you are. I want to see more of you”

Glitchtrap blushed some, he shrugged and look away.

“It’s not anything special… besides, you already know how you can see more: You have to collect the tapes”

“Mmmm I know…”

Dreadbear sigh, lowering his ears as he look down. There was the rabbit’s frustration again, he couldn’t help but feel guilty over it.

The bear perk his ears and look around. If he sleep this much and nobody woke him up, that meant their friends came to check on him and decided to give him more hours to rest. Would they come back later? Would he have enough time to at least try one level?

Dreadbear stretch a hand towards the computer and opened the game, Glitchtrap moved aside to let him do it. He hadn’t necessarily meant now, but it seemed like Dreadbear was keen to play so he didn’t stop him. He still had nine tapes left to collect.

Glitchtrap trembled some at the though. He wasn’t quite sure what would happen after all of them were found. He assumed he’d be free… but what if something else happened?

\----

Dreadbear had to play the same stage a couple of times, he keep dying over the same mistake. He lost the flow of the game mechanics and was welcome with the last level of normal mode.

An hour after he boot the game he manage to collect the tape and finish the level, the game brought him back to the hub area and the narrator announced that the game was completed, remarking that there was no need to keep playing or explore it for any secrets.

The bear hummed at the announcement, he knew that wasn’t true at all. He turn the camera to look at Glitchtrap who was checking his body after the tape collection. Eight collected, eight more to go.

“You know… the game is constantly remarking that one shouldn’t attempt anything out of the ordinary, yet the collectables feature of the tapes is implemented and functional... why is that?"

Glitchtrap sweated some. He was hoping Dread bear wouldn’t ask, but he probably should’ve know he would.

“Hard mode is meant for the full release of the game. It’s technically still in beta, but everything has been implemented into the game. Fazbear Entertainment is just so lazy they didn’t put any kind of data blocks to keep people out of the game”

He took a few steps closer towards Dread before he felt that invisible barrier again.

“Usually the monitor closely and fire anyone who explores further. But don’t worry, this is a copy of the game I made, that feature is no longer here.”

The big bear blinked softly before he nodded, he didn’t quite understood why he meant by that, technology wasn’t his forte, he barely understood the basics… He had to trust Glitchtrap.

“That’s why you can’t get out yet? People complete the game and can’t access the hard mode with the other half of the tapes?”

“They don’t even try. At least not hard enough”

Glitchtrap huffed, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

“I don’t want to wait until the game release to get out”}

_What do you plan to do after you get out?_ Dreadbear thought, but he didn’t say it. Instead he flip the hard mode switch and begin to attempt the second level of it. He didn’t last long before he had to stop in the middle of the game to hold his forehead with both of his hands. The color change was really messing his head up to the point he felt it pulsating softly, painfully.

He got a game over and was pushed back to the main hub. The game didn’t gave him the option to try again, since Glitchtrap quickly pressed the button of “back to menu” before Dreadbear could see it.

“I think that’s enough for today”

The rabbit said without looking at the screen. He could see the hard mode was hurting Dreadbear’s head. He collected one tape, his edges were less glitchy and his colors begin to turn a green, digital tone. While Glitchtrap wanted out, he’d be satisfied for at least a little bit since one tape was collected.

“Your head’s hurting you again.”

Dreadbear groaned, closing one eye as he massaged his forehead a little stronger.

"Mmhhh a little"

He admitted, lowering his ears as he expected Glitchtrap’s frustration to come out again, telling him something that would make him feel guilty over it. Instead the rabbit waved him off, turning his head to see him again.

“Get some rest. You’re still recovering.”

Dreadbear perk his ears surprised, looking at the screen a little confused. He accepted the offer though. He noticed Glitchtrap begin to stretch his arms and look at them now that they were less glitchy. He wondered how tall he would be compared to him once he got out.

“I’ll head out then, fresh air always helps”

The bear got up from his sitting position and grab his phone from the table, he check on it for a moment before he place it closer to the computer screen. Glitchtrap raised an eyebrow at the action.

“You coming?”

“You… you want me to come along?”

Glitchtrap was expecting Dreadbear to just head out. He wasn’t expecting Dread offering him to come, not after he found him sneaking on his phone yesterday.

"Yeah... I want to you come with me, but no pressure... is only if you want to"

Glitchtrap blushed softly. He didn’t reply right away, instead just jumping into the phone.

“I won’t complain if you want to have me come along.”

Dreadbear wiggled his ears and smiled softly. He though it would be nice for Glitchtrap to see something else besides his game. He already had a taste of that the other day, a change of scenery was always nice. He walk towards his flowers and picked one of the pots, hiding the phone the same way he did yesterday. He figurate people wouldn’t find weird to see him carry one, that way Glitchtrap could have more vision and stay hidden from everybody's knowledge.

\----

Heading out of the barn, the bear head towards the corn maze, walking around it as he look for the entrance, the place was quite creepy at night but at day it had a charm he enjoyed.

Glitchtrap leaned against the screen, watching the scenery pass by. There was something kind of charming about the rural scenery.

“Going for a stroll in the corn maze?”

Glitch asked once Dreadbear found the entrance.

“Mmhh. I remember the path of the maze, I’ve completed it many times before”

Dreadbear hummed as he walk inside.

“Im a tough guy, but my head is delicate. It hurts when I get too many ideas in mind, I need to concentrate in one to stop feeling bad. The maze requires memorization, I have to concentrate to remember the path, and that helps me feel better.

Glitchtrap hummed softly.

“Seems interesting. I’m sure it’s nice in the daytime.” He shrugged some “When you can see.”

"Is easier. At night is pretty dark and the only source of light is what is chasing you over the maze"

Dreadbear did a few turns as he walk inside, it seems that Grim wasn’t there right now so it would be just him and Glitchtrap, which was nice.

"That’s Grim's job, his attraction is chase people inside this maze as they try to escape. Right now everything is open, but at night the maze has paths closed with keys one has to collect. Is quite a popular attraction, even when not a lot of visitors dare to do it at first... humans tend to be cowards"

Glitchtrap laughed, his laugh was mocking but it felt genuine.

“Oh they are. The few that have seen me before panic at the sight of me. Check over their shoulder every few seconds like I’m going to attack. Humans are not brave.”

"Yet they still go get purposely exposed to horror things... quite dumb"

Dreadbear huffed, wiggling his ears when he heard Glitchtrap laugh again. It make him smile some.

“Adrenaline junkies, all of them.”

Glitchtrap adjusted themselves.

“Makes me wonder how’d they really react when they realize we’re real and not just a game. Well- realize that you’re real at least.”

Dreadbear hummed, he was pretty real, but the way humans came to this place was via a game screen, similar to what Glitchtrap had, except this was his actual dimension and the connection was made by his Boss via their portals. They just wanted to have some fun

"They'll probably attempt something stupid, like throw a punch of cry like a baby. I’m sure more than one would try to burn me just for the similarity with Frankenstein... ignoring the fact I’m actually fireproof"

Glitchtrap chuckled some.

“But the monster did nothing wrong in Frankenstein...”

\----

"How do you think people would react to you when they see you out? Similar to how they freak out when they see you on the game?"

Dreadbear was already deep inside of the maze, walking around as he looked to get lost so he would have to concentrate on remembering the path. Meanwhile he talked with Glitchtrap, to distract himself and get to know him better. The rabbit hummed softly at the question.

“Not sure. In the game I can glitch myself to be more intimidating and taller. I’m not sure how tall or scary looking I would be in reality.”

"Maybe you will keep that ability when you get out, at least the glitching, size is kind of standard and unexchangeable.. I wish I wasn’t this big, I barely fit anywhere"

“Being large can be inconvenient... but...I think you’re the perfect size. Perhaps your boss should make sure he makes everything to where you can fit comfortably...”

"They has the intention, but always gets distracted and forgets about it. Is easier to just stay in the barn where everything is bigger than me, rather than try to change the whole environment just for me to be comfortable"

Dreadbear let out a grim, sarcastic chuckle, he seem upset.

"After all, Dreadbear just follows orders and never complains..."

He stopped as he realized he let one of the vague thoughs from his mind come out his mouth, he look around and felt lost. He decide to take a path to try to orientate himself.

Dreadbear keep silence, embarrassed over what he said. Why would he feel that? Razz cared about him, he legit forgot about it every time.

And why would he feel bad over he having to adapt to the rest? It was true after all, it was logical.

Glitchtrap didn’t let the bear keep his silence for too long though, he frowned at the bear's frustrations.

“Well maybe it’s time you start complaining. It’s not fair you have to stay out in the barn. Especially if the others have beds and places that fit them.”

The rabbit wasn’t sure why he was so upset about this. It wasn’t like him to get close to anyone, but he felt he was getting attached to Dreadbear.

Dreadbear wiggled his tail, it felt nice to hear that, it was low-key nagging him but for his own good. He knew his spontaneous ideas and feelings weren't logical, but it felt good when somebody told him it was valid. He appreciated that.

"Right now, I just want to stay in the barn"

He looked at the phone, blushing soflty as he let another of this thoughs come out from his mouth.

"At least until I manage to get you out..."

Glitchtrap blushed some himself. He said he would help him get out before, but the way he mention it now felt different.

“Well...I hope that’s soon, for your sake. Hay probably gets itchy after awhile.”

"It does get inside, but is easy to wash... although I don't like to wash myself, I ended up getting rusty"

He groaned

"I dont like getting rusty..."

“Sounds like you just need help with drying so you don’t end up all rusty.”

Glitchtrap hummed. He had a brief thought of maybe helping Dreadbear do that before he shook his head. Best not to think of the future. At least not while he was still stuck in the game.

They keep walking and turning into the maze till they reach one of the big rooms. Dreadbear gasp softly as he recognized one of the cardboards and began to follow a path he slowly begin to remember. He had to stop a few times to rub his forehead with one of his hands as his thoughs were organizating to concentrate. After a few minutes, he found himself at the entrace of the maze, sucesfully completing it.

Dreadbear chuckled happily, his chest making a grumling sound as he did. Glitchtrap felt his heart rate quicken at the chuckle. Dreadbear’s laugh was slow and deep. It fit him well.

“Good job, you made it out.”

The bear nodded as he let out a "yee" noise, taking a deep breath.

"I remembered the path, that means my brain should be doing better. If Boss asks thought... I never did the maze... I don't want to go back to buisness just yet"

Glitchtrap chuckled softly

“Your secret’s safe with me, big guy.”

Dreadbear hummed, unconsciously walking towards the flower field that wasnt far away from the maze. He liked that place, the other nightmares seem to ignore it was right there, so it became a comfort zone for him. Sometimes he wondered how they keep being alive if nobody went to take care of them, maybe natural dirt did that?. Glitchtrap didn’t mind being taken back out to the flower field. It was a nice enough place to rest.

\----

Dreadbear carefully placed the flower pot on the floor before he lowered his body and sit in front of it. He sit on the dirt next to the flowers, not wanting to do it on top of them. He took a deep breath and sigh happily, he had a good amount of sleep and his head wasn’t hurting as before, his thoughts were concentrated in only one thing. Glitchtrap was keeping him company and wasn’t upset over him not collecting more tapes... if anything he wanted Dreadbear to take a break, that make him happy.

They didn’t talk for a few minutes, there was no need to, it was just enjoy the view and the fresh air the rural area had.

"I like this"

Dreadbear said after a good amount of silence, looking at the phone

"Do you like it?"

Glitchtrap’s ears twitched when Dreadbear spoke and he blushed at such a straightforward question. He found himself nodding though.

“I do. I like this too...”

Dreadbear smiled, he wasn’t sure what he asked or what the answer was supposed to mean, but it felt right.

He was thinking what to say next when he heard a soft giggle from behind him, and as he recognized the tone, he softly grab a few petals from the flowers of the pot and push them to hide the phone some more. Coming from the flower field, a little girl jumped towards Dreadbear's back in a playful way, the bear quickly grab her before she fell and flip her over to be in front of him.

It was the little girl that was along Grim and Dreadbear's Boss the day he had his accident, the last nightmare that lived there. Or… well, maybe just the last person that lived there. She didn’t look like a nightmare animatronic, she seemed soft and cheerful with her colored cheeks and her wild hair being barely contained by her propeller hat. Glitch quieted down and watched the new person with interest. She seemed unafraid of the big bear. Dreadbear seemed soft with her too which was interesting.

"Hey Dread~ Good to see you awake"

The girl said as she chuckled, sitting between the bear's lap when he let her go. She was considerably tiny comparated to him.

"Mmmm"

Dreadbear hummed in a positive way.

"What were you doing here?"

"I wanted to see the flowers"

"Awww, youre such a softyyy"

She chuckled, pushing him softly

"As long it makes you happy"~

"What are you doing here, Deedee?"

"I was looking how big this place is, how far I can go! See if there is some free space where I could build my treehouse"

Deedee said as she moved her arms to give a better description. Dreadbear looked at her, raising an eyebrow... it was interesting when he did that since he had an unibrow.

"You need a tree to make a treehouse, and we dont have many, theyre all dead and unstable"

"Nonono! I wanna make a threehouse on the floor, is the same but safer."

"Thats just a house"

"No! Not a house, it is a treehouse but on the floor"

"So, a house"

_"NooOOoo!"_

Deedee pouted as she repeated herself, Dreadbear just chuckled slowly, clearly messing with the kid.

He had a different relationship with all his friends, but in all of them he never had to pretend be somebody else, unlike in his job where he had to be menancing and creepy when he wasnt really like that.

"Ahh you already picked up flowers"

Deedee said as he grab the flower pot in front of them and pulled it closer. Dreadbear visibly tensed up and took it away from her, only making her more curious. 

Glitchtrap yelped a little at the sudden movement but he kept quiet after that. Children tended to be quite the handful. But this one seemed sweet and Dreadbear was quite soft with her.

"Huh? Heeyy!"

"Sorry, this flowers are too delicated"

"You collected them now? I dont see you cover in dirt"

Dreadbear didnt thought about it very well before he gave an explanation;

"I picked them yesterday, I just... took them out in case they missed being here, you know"

He blushed some, embarrassed. The kid chuckled though, believing such a silly thing.

"Awww, I'm sure the flowers are happy you think about them, but you have to keep them in one place! Think about what you want too!"

The bear hummed, he always got the same advice... he never really took it into consideration.

In part, him helping Glitchtrap and hiding it from everybody was his way to feel he has thinking about himself, he was doing what he wanted to do.

He wanted to help Glitchtrap, he wanted to take him out the computer, he wanted to chat with him, he wanted to hide his presence from the rest. It was so weird to think about it... yet it felt right.

"Well, im heading back to the mansion, are you gonna stay here some more?"

The girl asked as she got up, Dreadbear hold the flower pot with one hand while used the other for support to get up. He was WAY TOO BIG comparated to Deedee when he was standing up.

"I'll go back to the barn, I can walk with you"

Deedee cherish his decicion, her little propeller of her hat begin to spin and soon she begin to float, the propeller move fast enough to allow her to fly, and with that hability she manage to be at the same height as the bear.

Glitchtrap found it interesting the child could float with such a small hat. But then again, everyone here seemed to have some sort of strange ability. The walk back was punctuated by the other two’s quiet conversation which was nice for Glitchtrap to listen to even if he couldn’t participate.

Deedee was fun to talk with, since she was a kid she didn’t bring heavy topics to discuss and bring ideas one wouldn’t think about for being too silly. She was the only kid Dreadbear knew, but he assumed he would like kids if he meet others, at least if they were like her.

At the mansion's entrace Deedee went back to the floor and looked at Dreadbear with expectating eyes and a big smile on her face.

"I hope you feel better soon Dreadbear! We miss having you around, take care of your head okayy?"

Dreadbear nodded, kneeling some so he could place his hand on top of the kid's head. He softly pet her but she didnt react to it, if anything she moved before he could do it properly. He didnt felt offended by that, since he knew she was pretty energetic to stay quiet for some soft affection. Waving goodbye, the bear got up and walk back to the barn, looking around to make sure his Boss wasnt around looking for him, he havent seen them in all day.

"I wasnt expecting Deedee at the flower field"

He said as he look at the hidden phone he was carrying

"Sorry if I grab you too abruptly"

Glitchtrap shrugged some

“It’s alright. Is she a human child? Definitely strange to see one of those out here if she is.”

Dreadbear shook his head some

"She is an animatronic like me or Grim, but a more humanoid one... took me some time to tell the difference. She is not from this place, thats why he looks different"

Dreadbear look up at the sky. He knew it was the same autumn sky as every day, but today it felt different.

"I wonder if she is going to stay tiny forever though..."

Glitchtrap hummed, looking up too, paying attention to Dreadbear's face rather than the sky

“I guess only time will tell with that one.”

Glitchtrap floated closer to the screen

“She seems sweet though.”

Dreadbear smiled some, looking down to meet with the purple eyes of the glitchy rabbit through the screen

"She is"


	6. Crossing the line (!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING
> 
> The following chapter contains sexual content.
> 
> While the whole story is vanilla, this chapter is not. I will retake the important bits of this chapter in terms of relationship on the next one, so please if youre a minor skip this one when I give the warning.
> 
> I already set the warning with the AO3 mature warning, this is just the second warning I can give.
> 
> Viewer discretion required, thank you.

The lobotomy game attraction kept close as Dreadbear was still healing from his head, leaving Grim and Deedee most of the work on their respective attractions to entertain the clients. The bear felt a little bad over that, especially because he manage to ease the headache after completing the corn maze, but he kept that information to himself to have a few extra days to heal..

Dreadbear wanted to use that time to play the game, but Glitchtrap shoo him away of the computer so he could rest properly, claiming that his performance would be terrible with a headache. However both of them knew that wasn’t the reason he was taking care of him.

He begin to work on hardmode the same day his Boss told him he was good enough to run the attraction again. He wasn’t looking forward to go back to the lobotomy sessions, but he was promised that there would be better security over the visitors so an incident like that wouldn’t happen again.

Going back to work wasn’t so bad, the nightmare bear missed spend time with his friends and now he get to chat with them before and during work. That, along his progress on the game and blooming friendship with the glitchy rabbit, make him happy.

He gathered 12 tapes in total, Glitchtrap's figure was more defined now and hidden colors were a little more visible, it was a golden suit. His vest was glitching as it tried to load the textures of it. They needed 4 more tapes to be done and that make both of them excited.

It was taking longer than expected, especially when Dreadbear lose days over his headaches, but Glitchtrap gradually stop being disappointed or frustrated for that, genuinely understanding that the big bear wasn’t a machine who could do whatever he wanted… even when he was literally an animatronic.

The rabbit still haven’t figurate that he left his dimension and jump into this one months ago.

\------

**Please re-read warning on top of the story. Proceed or skip. Thank you.**

\------

Tonight was one of thoses days where Dreadbear came back from his attraction with an headache, althought it was… _different_ from other days.

Grim opened the barn’s door and walk in, he was holding Dreadbear in a hug as he helped him walk inside, pressing the door with his back as he pushed and forced the bear to drag one leg after the other to move. The door stay open when they walk in, it would be better like that, that darn door was so noisy when the bear needed silence for his headache.

The fox lead his coworker toward the hay pile and help them to sit, letting go of the hug he quickly run towards the corner of the barn where the flowers were blooming, he took a cloth piece that was there, pour it inside the water can and came back to the bed with the wet cloth on his hand.

Dreadbear's face had a permanent soft blush in it, his breathing was noisy, he begin to pant from his mouth as he wasn’t getting enough air through his nose. Grim placed the wet cloth on his face to clean it some, making him close his mouth and breath through his nose again.

“Gosh, I don’t know what thoses humans did to your brain this time but you don’t look well buddy"

The fox said joking around, but still worried.

Yes, his brain was hurt again, although it was.. _different_. To begin with he didn’t had an headache, his brain pieces were all in the right place and the brain chemicals visitors had to inject were on the right places… but not in the right amount.

Dreadbear felt dizzy and hot, hot like a summer day on the desert, he didn’t recall feeling like this before. His body had a refrigeration system so he wouldn’t overheat, however this wasn’t something his system could handle. This heat wave spread all over his body, if it wasn’t from Grim taking care of him right now, his libido would have already take over completely.

“Alright Dread, I think you should sleep it off, you should feel better in the morning”

Grim said as he pull the now dry cloth out of the bear’s face.

“Sorry I am not much help like Razz, I don’t trust myself to open your head and check what’s wrong with you. I don’t think you will die from overheat… I’ll ask them to check on you when they come back from- whenever they went”

Dreadbear hummed, even his tone sound different. Still deep, but more whiny.

Grim clean the cloth piece and put it where it was, then he walk towards the door and closed it carefully as he waved at Dreadbear. It was already dark and their Boss wasn’t around right now, somebody had to take care of the child animatronic that lived with them.

The bear flop on the hay bed and quickly opened his chest plate, taking his phone out to check if it was overheating since it was inside. Thankfully it was intact. The last thing he wanted to do was break it, he would lose all his flower photos and Glitchtrap wouldn’t be able to have walks with him anymore.

The thought of Glitchtrap make his body tremble as another heat wave came across his body.

The glitch watched the whole scene quietly, it wasn’t until the fox left that run from the game’s hallway and took a jump into the bear’s phone. As much as he hated to admit it, the bear was growing on him and he was concerned.

He caught the blush on Dread’s cheeks pretty quickly and he wondered if maybe the bear had a fever. Although the noise he was making as he breathed suggested otherwise.

“Everything okay?”

"Hhhh...."

Dreadbear make a weird, whiny noise at Glitchtrap question, he accommodated on the bed in a half sitting position, holding the phone properly to see him.

He was glad he came to check on him... but he didn’t wanted to worry him.

"Something.... there is something off with me. I'll be f-fine..."

Dreadbear admitted as he closed his eyes. Maybe he was just tired?

Glitchtrap wasn’t stupid and could tell something was up. Especially with that reaction.

“Hmmm, why do I not believe you?”

The rabbit said as his feet leave the ground, floating some.

“C’mon big guy, you can talk to me.”

Dreadbear look at his phone. Glitchtrap was more visible than ever, he wondered how it would be when he stopped glitching so much. What color would his vest be? Was all his body of the same yellow tone or some parts were different? Was there something else that he had but haven’t load properly?

He didn’t explain Grim what he was feeling and he wasn’t going to tell his Boss either, the warm waves were embarrassing to describe... but he could trust Glitch about that. After all, he was different.

"They messed with my head... but is _different_ than other days. I dont feel pain, I-I feel hot... and dizzy... sometimes I feel a warm feeling g-going through my entire body, l-like I am overheating. F-feels weird but... l-low key not so bad"

Dreadbear lowered his ears and looked away, his cheeks blushed a little more, embarrassed to describe that. Glitchtrap shifted his weight some, his hip popping out a little.

Warm but good, huh? He had a feeling he knew what that was.

“You’re not overheating”

The rabbit said in a calm tone

“You just need a little stress relief then the feeling should be gone. A little... _private time_ if you catch my drift.”

The nightmare looked at his phone screen, his eyes had that begging stare. Puppy eyes looking for something they wanted.

"I was told to sleep it off..."

Glitchtrap rolled his eyes and sigh

“Sure if you hate fun.”

The rabbit sat down in midair, sitting in a comfortable position.

“Are you nervous or embarrassed or something? It’s totally normal.”

"I’m... new to it... I d-don’t know... maybe I am embarrassed?"

Glitchtrap hummed, leaning back some, putting his weight on his hands and tilting his head some.

“You want some help there big boy?”

" _Ngh_ -"

Dreadbear made a short but surprised noise at the proposition, his face blush brightly… not so sure why. The back of his mind screamed yes, but he wasn’t sure if he should trust his mind right now.

_"I-I..."_

The glitch hummed softly in what sound like a chuckle. He ran a hand down his torso.

“I don’t mind helping you out, really...”

Dreadbear panted softly, his mind felt numb as everything else was losing importance, everything but the glitching rabbit. Another heat wave came across his body, he felt embarrassed to enjoy that feeling

_"P-please..."_

Glitchtrap wasn’t quite sure why he offered to help, especially with something _like this_ , but he certainly wasn’t backing out now. He carefully palmed at himself, unsure how his body would react while not confined to the game. He made a little sound, giving something for Dreadbear to listen to.

“Mmmn...It’s been awhile since I’ve done this,”

Dreadbear shivered softly as Glitchtrap admited that, another heat wave came across his body. He felt way too sensitive over sounds, his stoic stand was almost inexistent right now.

He didn’t even knew what gender preference he had, but he didn’t mind it was Glitchtrap. The thought make him whine softly. He bite his bottom lip some as he put the phone closer to his face, holding it with just one hand, keeping the other free, laying on top of his torso in a lazy hug.

He didn’t wanted the rabbit to see what would happen to his bottom half if he let this warm feeling take over him completely. It was going to happen eventually. He was still aware that Glitch had access to the main camera, he could see on both sides of the phone if he wanted to.

"Mmmhgh... I-I’m going to be the first one to see you do it then?"

Dreadbear purred, a weird feeling of pride invading his chest. Glitchtrap chuckled at Dreadbear’s eager question.

“The first to see me jack off? Mmm....yeah, I suppose you are.”

Glitchtrap palmed at his front some. He wasn’t expecting his body to glitch some before a hole in the suit was present, the place and size was convenient for what he wanted to do.

Well, at least this way would be easier to touch himself. He hover his hand on the hole, his body glitched again and exposed his dick, which he hold and checked quietly. It’s been a while… he never had time for this, there were more important things to do.

Dreadbear felt his body could release some stream by how embarrassed he was, Glitchtrap noticed the embarrassed yellow eyes of the bear and smirked.

“You like watching me Dreadbear?”

“ _Uuhhmmm..."_

The nightmare couldn’t respond properly, unsure if the question was a general one or about this very moment. His body trembled softly as another warm wave came across it, his lower half begin to feel hot and itchy, waiting for the bear to stop holding it in

Glitchtrap wrapped a hand around himself and began to pump gently, letting out a little moan.

“Because... _I think you do~”_

Dreadbear felt very embarrassed over what he was watching, but he didn’t look away or put his phone down. His eyes were concentrated on the glitchy rabbit. He was so confident and relaxed over this it was almost hypnotic.

He was right, he liked to watch him. The bear bite his bottom lip softly as he felt his own erection spring out from his crotch. The sight of the rabbit masturbating mixed with his active libido over a brain accident make him being half erect already… it was still big, after all he was a big animatronic.

_"H-hahh.."_

Dreadbear let out a moan, he quickly move his free hand closer to his face to cover his mouth and part of his red cheeks. Moaning and getting erect just because he was excited was so embarrassing…

Glitchtrap noted that Dreadbear was trying to hide his noises and he chuckled softly.

“There’s no need for that. It’s just me here right now.”

Glitchtrap pumped himself a couple of times, moaning a little.

_“I want to hear you~”_

Dreadbear slowly removed his hand from his mouth, doing as Glitchtrap said. He felt a warm feeling roam around his chest, it wasn’t libido though. The idea of Glitch wanting to hear him even when he was making such weird noises make him happy… and excited.

"I... y-yeah..."

He said, unsure what he was answering to.

"You l-look nice..."

The bear admitted, feeling his member throb as he said it. The rabbit chuckled at the soft compliment in a moment like this

“Do I? Even when I’m still a glitched mess? You’re too sweet.”

Glitchtrap tilted his head back some, Dreadbear look so vulnerable right now, he couldn’t see him fully, but his stoic face having such an embarrassing expression make him feel heat waves come across his body too. It felt quite nice when they reach his dick.

“Mmm...you look nice too...”

"I m-must look like a mess right now..."

Dreadbear admited, shyly moving his hand down to touch his own member with his fingertips, still unsure if he should follow the rabbit's doing. He was new to this, he knew about this kind of stuff but never really took the time to explore himself, it never call his attention and his libido was absent. He even though he didn’t had one… oh how wrong he was

“A-as long as you like it... you can… uuhh… k-keep watching"

The glitch nodded softly, his eyes look away for a moment as he checked the frontal camera, smiling as he realized the bear was getting ready to follow his doing.

“I do like it... _You s-sound good..._ ”

Glitchtrap blushed brightly. It was weird to admit that sort of thing out loud. But he did mean it. He was enjoying how Dreadbear looked and sounded.

_“You are my mess right now...”_ Glitchtrap breathed.

Dreadbear let out a louder, trembling moan at Glitchtrap's words. There was something in his tone and what they were doing that sounded possessive... and he liked that.

_"Y-yours..."_

He confirmed, finally holding and pumping his member at a slow but steady pace. The rabbit trembled some at the action, panting a little. That was hot.

“That’s it Dreadbear....keep going, j-just like that~”

Dreadbear add more pressure to his pumping and let out a content moan, feeling more comfortable with it as the rabbit encouraged him. A string of saliva slowly drip from his lips since he wasn’t containing any moans.

_"G-glitch..."_

He groaned his name, although didn’t seem he had anything to say to him, it just slipped.

Glitchtrap felt a tremble run up his spine at his name. He wished he was out. It wasn’t fair he was trapped behind a screen. He wanted to be able to touch and feel the other. But he couldn’t. This would have to do for now, but it wouldn’t do forever.

“Ah _, f-fuck Dread...”_

He moaned, pumping himself a little faster, squeezing himself a little around the head on each pass. He let out a little mewl. He was getting close just touching himself and watching Dread come undone. Dreadbear concentrated more on the base of his member, applying pressure on it as he pumped up. He manage to go a little faster as pre cum drip from his dick, making it easy to slide up and down

"D-does it feel good?"

Dreadbear asked, grumbling under his breath as he tried to keep his composure, his instincts were asking for more but he literally couldn’t fulfill them. Glitchtrap smiled and let out a louder moan in response, Dreadbear liked that.

_"B-bet I would do you better..."_

Glitchtrap gasped at Dread’s words, blushing brightly.

“B-bet you would. Fuck...you’d wreck me~”

He got used to the soft and careful nightmare bear, he would never imagine him in a situation like this, much less using dirty talk. But he liked it, it fit him.

Dreadbear chuckled at the rabbit’s response, taking a sharp breath of air as his member throb. The idea was too good.

_"Shit-"_

He cursed under his breath, and slowdown his movements, was he getting close?

Glitchtrap moaned wishing he had some other way to stimulate himself beside his hand. He wasn’t expecting to get this horny—he wasn’t expecting to get horny at all! The few times he had jerk off himself was after checking some private folders inside potential beta tester’s computers and investigating about sex on his own via the internet.

It was a slow process to get horny and hard, even more to reach an orgasm. It was fine, but not worth the effort. He was willing to do the effort to give some material to Dreadbear… but fuck, now he was horny, jerking himself off while being watched, checking time to time how his partner’s pumped himself as he watched him. This was so weird, but felt so nice.

“G-getting close big boy?? H-haahh I am too...”

Dreadbear wiggled his ears and groaned under his breath, the idea of see Glitchtrap cumming gave him a need he didn’t knew he could have.

"Y-yeah..."

He respond as he picked up the pace again

"F-feels too good... _you look and sound s-so good~"_

Glitchtrap moaned, bucking his hips into his hand. He wasn’t used to such positive words about him. He loved it, he loved this so much, he didn’t wanted it to end just yet.

“K-keep talking like that and I- _A-ah~!”_

Glitchtrap didn’t get to finish his statement, coming hard in his hand. Moaning Dreadbear’s name as he finished. The bear opened his eyes wide as he watch the rabbit reach his climax, his body glitched up some as he did, but not enough to hide the surprised and pleased expression he had when he came. Dreadbear couldn’t hold it anymore after such a sight... he look so attractive like that.

The bear let out a whiny groan as he came, and he came _a lot_ , he couldn’t tell if it was because it was his first time or he was this big that he needed to cum way more, whatever was the case, he keep pumping his member slowly for a few seconds as he waited to be drained. He left quite a mess on the bottom of the hay pile.

Glitchtrap panted softly as he regain his composure. He didn’t come any fluid, he figured he wouldn’t, but he had still orgasmed and that had taken a lot out of him.

_"Hahhh... hahh... G-glitch... im... mmmhhh..."_

Dreadbear flop on the bed, properly laying down this time, he closed his eyes and panted softly. He felt better than before, whatever liquid was messing with his head leaved his body as he reach his climax. He looked positively exhausted.

Glitchtrap reached his hand out only for his fingers to meet resistance when he touched the phone screen. He mentally cursed. What he wouldn’t give to be able to hold Dreadbear right now. Pet him softly and help him out with aftercare.

“Feeling better?”

He asked quietly.

"Y-yeah..."

Dreadbear sigh, he roll on the bed to lay on his side, he hold the phone and accommodate it next to him to see Glitchtrap recover too. It was like they were laying together in bed, so close yet so far away

"H-how about you? Y-your face... looked very nice when you... y-you know"

Glitchtrap blushed brightly at the compliment. He wasn’t sure if he was into compliments or he just liked to be praised by Dreadbear

“Y-you looked really nice too.”

He leaned against the screen some.

“I enjoyed it too...a lot. I’m glad you felt good though...”

Dreadbear smiled softly, he touch the screen with his thumb and carefully rub it on Glitchtrap's check. He didn’t knew if he could feel it, but he couldnt do anything else for now.

"Thank you"

Dreadbear purred, they both keep silence as they looked at each other, eventually the bear closed his eyes and fall at sleep. Glitchtrap smiled. He wished he could feel Dreadbear’s hand through the screen.

The rabbit stayed up for a bit longer, thinking. He was definitely attached to the bear. He prided himself on being cold and cruel, toying with those that played his game. And yet, he could not bring himself to do the same with Dreadbear.

Talking to someone that he had just planned to use wasn’t normal. Following them, learning about their daily lives, helping them jack off. All of it was crossing a line. Glitchtrap had slipped up somewhere, and yet, he was glad he did. He enjoyed Dreadbear’s company, dare he say it he liked him. But he was worried about what could happen.

Dreadbear was slow when it came to finishing the hard stages of the game, and Glitchtrap didn’t want to push him. But there was the lingering fear. What if Dreadbear didn’t free him before it was too late?


	7. Gloomy day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The clouds are covering the sky, and as feelings begin to bloom and became visible, so are lies and harsh thruth.
> 
> Time is running out.

Mornings at the barn were always quiet, there weren’t animals or insects that make noise and that hour, all the action always happened when the sun went down, not when it begin to raise again.

The only noise one could hear was Dreadbear’s breathing as he sleep, he was laying on his side and curling his legs some as he sleep. An unusual position for him, it would be weird if he didn’t had a reason to sleep like that, but luckily he had; Next to him was his cellphone, the screen was with low brightness to save battery, inside was the Help Wanted’s glitch, sleeping in a similar position as the nightmare bear while his body float.

Last night the frankenbear came back in bad conditions after his lobotomy session. Glitchtrap catch himself going towards him and helping him feel better, ending up sleeping together, as together they could get when he was trapped in a digital reality.

Their routine, their words and their actions were more of what one could expect from a beta tester and a game glitch, they were attached to each other.

Glitchtrap was attached towards Dreadbear, and that thought gave him a worrying sensation that didn’t let him fully enjoy the happiness to find somebody that fill him in a way he didn’t knew he needed, a hole he didn’t knew he had until this bear came into his life.

\------

Dreadbear woke up as he heard voices outside the barn, he opened one eye and flicked one of his ears as he tried to identify who it was.

The day was cloudy, it was a miracle that he woke up on his own considering he only did so when the sunrays hit his face, pushing him away from the hay bed until he hit the floor.

He recognized his Boss’s voice outside. He grab his cellphone and carefully place it inside his chest plate, he wouldn’t want his boss to discover the cellphone AND Glitchtrap at the same time. Maybe he should at least tell them about the phone, too many lies were hard to keep.

The barn’s door opened and Dreadbear roll into his usual sleeping position and closed his eyes, pretending to be at sleep. He was feeling better than last night and the thought make him smile some. He had to force himself to not smile since he was supposed to be sleeping.

The door opened and close carefully, it wasn’t opened fully so it didn’t made that infernal noise the bear hated so much. Their boss’ steps were soft and quiet too. Dreadbear expected to feel their hand on his head or face, moving him softly to wake him up. But they didn’t. The puppet was unusually quiet.

He opened his eyes some. Then he fully open them as he jump from the bed.

There was Razz, his Boss, kneeling on the bottom of his bed, leaning their head to a side as they were checking why that part in particular looked so messy.

Fuck. _He forgot to clean his bed, OR HIMSELF!!!._

They were about to touch it when Dreadbear tackled the puppet and pushed them away from his bed, and before Razz could say anything the bear got up and grab them by the hips, raising them and placing them on his shoulder, holding them tight so they wouldn’t struggle and get away from his hold.

His Boss said something, but Dreadbear was too scared and embarrassed to understand what they said. Instead he adjusted his hold smoothly enough so he could open his chest plate and take out his phone, throwing it towards the hay to keep it hidden. He wouldn’t need it to where he was going.

Razz protested at the unusual behavior but didn’t really do anything, they didn’t try to break free as Dreadbear walk towards the barn’s door and push it with his back to open it. He was going towards the lake, toss his boss and then dive in himself, water tend to wipe everything away, so his body would be clean and if their Boss manage to touch something, it would be away too. He still had to toss the dirty hay and get more, but that wasn’t a priority right now.

He didn’t like to leave his phone on the barn knowing anybody could enter and see it, he didn’t had a stablished hiding spot, but his phone could get damaged by water, and he didn’t knew if Glitchtrap was still inside or already went back to the computer.

The glitch was still inside the phone, one of his ears flicked at the protests noises of the puppet, but he didn’t care enough to open his eyes. Glitchtrap woke up later in the day, surprised to find Dreadbear already gone.

He jumped back into the computer, deciding that there was the best place to wait for the bear to come back. Based on the glare from the screen it was the early afternoon. He wondered where Dreadbear could be. He wanted him back.

\------

Dreadbear didn’t came back to the barn till the afternoon, way pass lunch time. He still had a few hours before his work shift and he wanted to use it to spend time with Glitchtrap, being playing or just chatting. He wondered if it would be weird to talk to him again considering last night both of them realize there was something going on between them, he was still figuring out the whole situation, but he wasn’t uncomfortable with the idea to talk towards the rabbit again, he wasn’t going to avoid him or run away after sharing such a thing.

The bear opened the barn’s door and quickly walk inside, his body seems somewhat wet. He took a jump inside the lake along his Boss, play a little to hide his real intentions of the visit, dry his body as much as he could and came back to the barn.

He dry as much as he could, but he knew he might forgot a spot and there was the risk of getting rusty.

The computer’s screen light up and Dreadbear smiled, walking closer so he could sit in his usual position.

"Hey Glitchtrap"

He grumbled in a happy tone, his tail wiggled behind him.

Glitchtrap smiled softly when Dreadbear came back, he gave his own ‘hello’ before he raised his legs and sit on the air, floating. He squinted some as he realized the bear was wet.

“Everything alright? You’re all wet.”

"Mmmmhh yeah, I had to push my Boss on the lake early today… so I grab them and jump along them to make sure they would dive in”

Glitchtrap raised an eyebrow.

“You _had_ to?”

Dreadbear let out a nervious chuckle as he blush softly

"I… didnt clean up last night, and I saw them investigating my bed when I woke up”

Glitchtrap laughed at the ridiculous nature of the scenario.

“Well that’s definitely one way to get them to stop investigating. Why are you still wet thought?”

Dreadbear chuckled some himself, scratching his hair with one of his hands.

"I did my best to get dry, but I can’t reach all parts of my body and the sun is behind clouds today. All is left is pray I don’t get rusty"

“Hopefully everything dries the way it’s supposed to.”

Glitchtrap cooed, the bear gave him a smile and a nod.

He felt he should say something, but nothing came out, so instead he move his arm towards the screen and move the game’s camera to access the Hard mode. He had a few hours, he could do a few attempts.

Glitchtrap tried not to let his frustration bubble up. A few hours with Dreadbear was always welcome, but with the difficulty curve of the game he had a feeling no new tapes would be gotten tonight.

\------

Dreadbear struggled to pass the following nights, being unlucky enough to not find any tapes on them. To make it worst, after he finished a night he realized there was a tape on that level, but the game already took the victory and he couldn’t collect it, meaning he had to do it again.

"Sucks"

The bear said along a short sigh.

"I don’t have time to complete that level again, I guess I could try again tomorrow "

He said as he stretched his arms some, visibly relaxed, way the opposite compared to his companion

Glitchtrap tried not to let his frustration show, but his ear twitchted some at the remark.

"Tomorrow? That's... _fine_ "

The rabbit said through clenched teeth. He was trying his hardest to stay patient, but he knew the game's release date was drawing near. Which meant his time was growing short. There was no time for mistakes like this anymore.

Dreadbear catch something off on his tone, like he was holding up something. They had spent enough time together to recognize his voice and intentions.

Was he upset he didn’t saw the tape in time? He didn’t really mean it.

"Sorry, I should have look better before ending the level... but I'll probably be able to do it tomorrow... or the day after- It was a complicated level, I can’t assure you I can complete it on the first try next time I play it"

His honesty didn’t seem to please the rabbit, now he could clearly see Glitchtrap was acting off, covering his mouth with his hand as he tried to pretend he was just casually placing it there. Was he mad?

"...are you ok?"

**_"I'm fine..."_ **

The glitch replied, a little too quickly.

Dreadbear could tell it was a lie though and waited. Glitchtrap groaned some, trying to stay aloof but also not wanting to hurt Dreadbear. However he couldn’t take it anymore, he is been holding up his frustrations ever since he became closer to the bear. Just because he didn’t show it didn’t mean he didn’t feel it anymore.

"You keep putting it off! There have been multiple days where you just don't try. Or you try but you don't collect a tape. I can't wait much longer, I'm on borrowed time!"

Dreadbear lowered his ears as the rabbit expressed his frustrations. Ah, there it was... it’s been a while since he show his frustrations, or seem frustrated over the slow tape collection. He though he accepted his slow pace and relaxed over the completion. But it seems that he just hide his feelings and relaxed when he wasn’t supposed to.

He was right, there were days where his performance was not the best, days where he didn’t do anything but rest... it was the truth, and sometimes that hurt. He was on borrowed time and he wasn’t giving his best.

Wait… borrowed time? The last bit of his words confused him.

"What do you mean with borrowed time?...why are you so desperate to get out?"

Glitchtrap opened his eyes wide, making them glitch at the expression. He had revealed to much.

He bit his lip knowing he couldn't take it back now, and adding another layer of lies would make the situation worst both for him and the bear. They already knew each other and knew how they act and react to certain things. Maybe it was for the best to explain the whole situation, Dreadbear deserved to know.

"I need to get out before the game officially releases. It's in beta right now, and people are still testing everything. No one has found me yet, no one's looked hard enough...but I'm tied to the code. I'm not supposed to be, I'm a glitch. They haven’t found a way to get rid of me yet, but if I’m still present when the game is released and people start finding me...they'll get rid of me. Permenantly."

Glitchtrap sighed some, avoiding Dreadbear's gaze for now since he was upset and didn't want to make Dreadbear feel worse. Explaining his situation gave him a bittersweet sensation, he was glad to be honest about it, but it was scary to hear out loud his situation.

_"I have to get out..."_

Dreadbear stared at the screen; eyes wide open at the confession, his hair poofed some and look way more like a mane than usual. A lot of things make sense now... but also make him question others.

He knew Glitchtrap was, well, glitchy, but he never though he was an _actual_ glitch. The developer team didn’t wanted him, they wanted to get rid of him, being unwanted meant he was dangerous? How did he even came to be if he wasn’t codded into the game? How did his Boss got a copy of this game? Did Razz ever knew this was on their computer? Or that was something the bear concluded and the rabbit never clarify them that.

But on top of all of that, now there was a timer of how long he was going to keep existing until he was free'd from the game.

Dreadbear felt his chest hollow. _Why did you picked me? You shouldn’t have picked me to help, I’m too slow. I was the only option? You had to rush it? You picked the wrong person. I couldn’t follow every order. Im not what you expected?_ were a few thoughs that came to the nightmare’s head as his mind went to a darker place... but he didn’t said anything.

He rub his forehead with one hand, he didn’t felt pain, but he wasn’t sure what exactly he was feeling right now.

"When does the game come out?"

Glitchtrap could tell Dreadbear was conflicted. He felt like he needed to apologize, something he never did.

"A little more than two months. Five to six weeks at most. I'm sorry... I should have told you sooner."

Dreadbear didn’t knew what to said, all his thoughts were conflictive. While five to six weeks were enough time for 4 tapes, but the rabbit's desperation and frustrations, along his own slow speed, make him doubt he would be able to do it. He trembled, his heart pumping faster as he begin to felt overwhelmed by all the thoughts going on his head at once.

He opened his mouth and said the only idea he had clear:

_"I don’t... I don’t want to lose you"_

Glitchtrap felt his heart hurt at the statement. He should have worded this more gently. Dreadbear was a soft soul, and it was clear he had hurt him.

"And I don't want to be separated from you...But that's the reality right now."

Glitchtrap pressed a hand against the screen, giving the bear a weak smile

"But, chin up. I trust you. I _know_ you can do this. I believe in you."

Dreadbear panted softly, he felt his world was going down even when nothing really had happened yet. All he could do was listen to Glitchtrap and try harder, try his hardest every time he got the chance to do it.

He didn’t wanted to cry, he didn’t wanted to be seen crying, so when his bright eyes drop a few yellow tears he covered his face with his hands. Hidden behind his large hands, the nightmare bear sobbed.

Glitchtrap felt his heart break when he saw the bear crying. He slammed a fist against the screen, angry. He had upset Dreadbear, and he couldn't even do anything to comfort him.

"Dreadbear please, don't cry. It's okay. Look at me..."

He called, but the bear didn’t respond. He felt an overwhelming feeling on his chest. He didn’t wanted to cry either.

“Dread… Dread please look at me”

Dreadbear sob softly, rubbing his eyes to wipe his tears before he peeked up and look at the screen. Glitchtrap look to be as close to the screen as he could... he seem worried, he didn’t wanted him to see him like that. The bear moved closer to the computer, curling his body some as he lean against the screen. It was not the best position to play but it help him feel closer to the rabbit. So close yet so far away. Glitchtrap wished so badly that he could reach out and touch Dreadbear.

As the nightmare lean towards the screen, the dead, dry flower that was next to the computer drop one of their petals and fall. Dreadbear could swear he saw it trespass the computer screen, doing the same visual effect Razz’s portals had when somebody used them. He didn’t say anything about it, his concentration was on Glitchtrap right now

"It's okay...I'm right here. It's no use crying over this. I'm okay, you're okay. Nothing has happened yet. Let's just concentrate on the right here, right now, alright?"

Dreadbear nodded, taking a trembling breath as he tried to calm down. He will have all the time of the world to find a name to what he meant for him, for what he felt for the glitched rabbit, but right now he needed to concentrate to get him out of the game.


End file.
